Meet The Enchanted Visions Artist – Rowan Lewgalon

Rowan Lewgalon

Enchanted Visions artist, Rowan Lewgalon

Who is Rowan Lewgalon? Tell us a little about yourself.

I wrote a poem some time ago, titled “The Song of my Soul”. This probably fits here.

I am soothing sun
and raging fire
I am warmest smile
and burning desire

I am the tender touch
and the cruel sword
I am a loving kiss
and a fiercly lord

I am sweet comfort
and bitter revenge
On the wings of love
I come to avenge

I am softest compassion
and most dire wrath
I will make thee stumble
to find back to thy path

Angel or demon
what dost thou see?
Open thy eyes
It is always just me

In the here and now I am a visionary artist, a writer, a photographer, a history nerd, a hotspur, a cleric, a Druid, a flame-keeper, a past life regressionist….

I am a self-taught artist, and I draw and paint for as long as I can think. It was always a thing I loved, but I never went to any art-school. For some time I suddenly stopped painting though, a lot was going on in my life then, and only started again back in 2007.

Apart from being an artist, in what people call “normal life” I’ve been a management assistant in publishing, a nursery nurse, and a civil servant.

After a severe disc prolapse in 2008, I’m still not able to work again. This holds a hidden blessing though as I now have time to do what I love: paint, draw, write, photograph, walk my spiritual path.
I’m a cleric in minor orders in the Old Catholic Apostolic Church and intend to be a priest one day; a Celtic Christian priest who mixes her Druid and Celtic Pagan beliefs with the old Christian faith. This and painting really fills my soul with song.

I love history, especially the middle ages and Anglo-Saxon times – I can be a real nerd here and rant about historical incorrectness in films for ages if no one stops me. (Braveheart is the film that must not be named.)

Rowan Lewgalon, Enchanted Visions artist

My alias, Rowan Lewgalon, is derived from my tree, the rowan (shown to me by Brìde/Saint Brigid) and my spiritual affinity to the English middle ages resp. Great Britain. (Lewgalon is the Welsh word for “Lionheart”.)

I was born near Cologne in Germany and engaged myself in the Otherworld virtually from the cradle. Contacts and encounters with the spiritual world encompassed me as long as I can remember, and I am strongly associated with my angels, spiritual guides, and other souls and beings. From the age of twelve, I was dealing with witchcraft, magic, spiritual beings, rituals, divination, etc., but I would not call myself a medium, witch, or channel. For a time, I did call myself a witch, but this somehow does not fit anymore and never really suited me. I think I grew out of this term. I am just myself and don’t think I can be pigeonholed.

In over seven years, it was granted to me to learn more about my past lives and the origin of my soul – something I’d never want to do without again. Although it’s often bitter, it caused me to understand a lot of things better, helped in my spiritual and personal growth, and brought me one step further to myself every single day. I love nature and the little treasures life gives us and I’m a real Brit at heart …or it’s the soul of an Irish lass inside of me.

I am 41 now and share the flat with my best friend, anam cara, and co-artist Tricia Danby and four rescue cats: my Merlin, Tricia’s Merlin, Lily, and Piers. I live in Germany in a lovely, rural area close to Cologne.

How did you hear about Enchanted Visions and why did you want to become a member artist?

I cannot recall when I first heard about EV, but it was many years ago. I loved the idea of so many different artists who create art together. For a long time I did not dare to apply because I thought I’m not good enough (I still think that fairly often, but I think I’m in good company with that.) Finally, I took heart and applied with my watercolour paintings. And oh goodness…I was accepted!

Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to upload anything to the site due to some technical problems and so, when I came to Facebook and found Enchanted Visions there again, applied again. I think three or four themes later I was accepted, and I am happy and proud to belong to a group of such lovely artists. It’s always encouraging and inspiring to work together with you.

Each month, Enchanted Visions artists are challenged with creating a piece of art for that month’s theme.  Please share some of the art you have created for Enchanted Visions with us.  For each piece of art, please describe how it interprets that month’s theme, any story behind the art, and the theme’s meaning to you.

Rosh Madai by Enchanted Visions artist, Rowan Lewgalon

When I read the theme “Anima Sola” at SketchFest, he was immediately there. I knew that his name is Rosh Madai, he is trapped in his sorrow and drama and does not realise that his chains are broken. His wings burn, but they are not consumed by the flames. He’s in his own purgatory of sorrow, regret and fear.

Shateiel by Enchanted Visions artist, Rowan Lewgalon

Shateiel came to me when I read of the theme “Silence”. He probably inspired the “creation” of the Greek God Sigalion – or is the very same.

Ashriel by Enchanted Visions artist, Rowan Lewgalon

Ashriel is a very personal painting. I did it for the theme “Inbetween” and it sums up my poem from above.

(Yes…I do paint females, too.)

EV has a monthly auction of the work created. Do you sell your work there?

I have to admit that I never put up my pictures for auction there. I don’t even know why, I always forget about that.

Are there challenges knowing you are one of many artists creating art for the same EV theme? Does this knowledge hinder you or give you momentum when creating for the monthly theme?

The knowledge to create art with many other artists for the same theme is a wonderful thought. I love being part of that group and it is always exciting to see how others interpret the themes, what thoughts or beings came to them and are portrayed. It is funny that we sometimes even use the same colour palette.

Are you a story teller in your painting, using your imagination to create fiction with your art, or is your art a way to express feelings and emotion and/or portray the inner you?

That depends, I’d say. Most of the time I do not choose what to paint. The souls and beings come to me and show that they want to be painted.

Sometimes I am inspired by nature, music, places…and a picture pops up in my mind and won’t leave until it’s brought to (digital) paper. Most of my pictures tell some kind of story or carry the energies of those who are portrayed. Some very personal works show a lot of me though, and I suppose there’s a bit of me in every painting I do.

Describe (and provide a photograph if you like) of your studio/work space. What would you change about it, if anything, for it to become your dream work space?

I’d better not show my desk…it’s messy, scattered with post-its, notes, and stuff. My dream work space would have much more room for everything, but it’s fine as it is now. I only should tidy up a bit more often..but when I do, I spend lots of time searching for the things that used to lay around on my desk.

“Paint” a picture of yourself for us using 10 colorful words to describe you, the total picture.

Compassionate
Nerdy
Hot tempered
Know-it-all
Faithful
Blessed
Creative
Bright
traveling between the worlds
nature loving

If you would like to see more of Rowan’s art, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://tir-anam.weebly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TirAnam
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TirAnam