Sarah Rowan

In an age of rapid change and transformation, we’re being called to pivot faster and to pioneer solutions that don’t yet exist. The need for adaptability and innovation has never been more important and it’s crucial that we intentionally and proactively design the future that we want to step into as individuals, organizations, and as a global community. Whether we’re creating a new world order or forging a new personal story, the blueprint is the same- Creative Futurism. It’s the process that fuels innovation by creatively using the resources we have available today, to reinvent new outcomes and possibilities for tomorrow.

Sarah Rowan is a thought-leader who empowers individuals and organizations to ignite a better future through creativity. As one of Australia’s top Speed Painters, she has lived and breathed the dynamic process of transformation for 17 years, turning blank walls and canvasses into thought-provoking pieces of art, with limited time and often in front of a live audience. Merging her artistic talent with her passion for public speaking, Sarah has reimagined the role of the artist, pushing the boundaries of a studio-based pursuit into a trail-blazing performance genre that challenges the limitations of time and space.

Sarah’s strong emotional storytelling, along with her ability to paint fast and think fast has captivated hundreds of clients like Google, ANZ, AMP, Hewlett-Packard, Beam Suntory, Mi9, The Salvation Army, and the Business Chamber of NSW. She has inspired audiences to embrace their own creativity which she believes is a "birthright to all” and to date has painted at over 400 events raising over $200,000 for charity.

As a speaker, Sarah brings vibrant, electric energy and can easily pivot to meet the dynamics of any room. A natural storyteller, Sarah’s passion and authenticity help people connect with her as a person and as an artist, and her gift is grounding creativity as a skill, we all have, regardless of our profession or background. Her presentations are fun, engaging, and profoundly inspiring.

At a time when the old systems and frameworks are failing us, we need creative pioneers who can use the broken pieces to create something new. The toolbox that Sarah unpacks is not just about artistic creativity, it’s about the skills we’ll need most to navigate a future that is yet to be written.

After graduating from Converse College in 2003 with a BFA in Studio Art, Sarah started an art business in Greenville, South Carolina, USA before moving to Sydney to expand her horizons. It was here that she used the process of creative futurism to overcome depression, challenge chronic illness and create a new future for herself and her family. No longer shackled by societal norms, she has stepped into the full power of her truth personally and professionally.