Changes at ArtCenter

Stephen Nowlin at the Williamson Gallery (Photo courtesy of Stephen Nowlin)

After over twenty years of service to Pasadena ArtCenter’s College, Stephen Nowlin is moving on.

By Garrett Rowlan

Stephen Nowlin has been Vice President of ArtCenter Exhibitions and founder and director of the Williamson Gallery since 1992. He plans to retire on June 30, but will continue to advise on special projects. ArtCenter Curator Julie Joyce will serve as the interim Vice President of ArtCenter exhibitions.

Nowlin’s interests and projects have been eclectic and far ranging. He launched the ArtCenter’s first fully functional website to critical acclaim in 1997. Nowlin brought to the Williamson Gallery exhibitions ranging from self-portraits of a surreal kind (This is not a Selfie, 2014), to clothes worn as artistic or political statements (GARB, 2019) and, lately, exhibitions of a cosmic nature: SKY (2020), MOONS (2018), and ECLIPSE (2017). Nowlin has recently been active in opening new galleries at South Campus and downtown Los Angeles,

In the opinion of ArtCenter President Lorne Buchman, Nowlin leaves behind a capable staff and contributions that cannot be overstated. “He has helped define ArtCenter within the city of Pasadena,” Buchman said, adding that Nowlin’s influence has extended to the art world itself. His influence will continue to be felt through his curatorial work, his essays, and his imaginative fusion of art and science.