Inspired by the Sport’s Elegance, Anita Correnty turns Rowing into Artwork
August 2005 - During her senior year of high school, Anita Correnty
had to make the ever-so-difficult decision of what to do in college; she
was torn between studying the arts and pursuing engineering. Engineering
won out and Anita headed to Northeastern University where she was one
of only six women in the Engineering program. So decades later, where
did that engineering path lead her?
In 2003, Anita started The Art of Rowing, a company offering a large selection
of artwork that captures the muscle and spirit of the sport of rowing.
There are fine art prints and posters, photographic and inspirational
posters, vintage images and more. Where Anita is today just goes to show
you that while you may not always take the most direct path, eventually
you will end up where you are supposed to be.
A dedicated rower herself, always fascinated by the melding of fluidity
and strength that her fellow rowers displayed, Anita had worked in web
design and retail but eventually decided that she wanted to start her
own product based business. And still, she could not deny that the allure
of the arts still called to her. She came across Watermark, a Maine-based
company that sold paintings and posters of interest to rowers and considered
purchasing the company. Her first attempt working with them did not pan
out and another potential
buyer moved in. After that experience, she put the notion of purchasing
the company, or any company, aside for a while.
Then her rowing partner at the time decided to take up swimming instead.
Anita had to find someone new and turned to acquaintance Lenny Wos. The
two became rowing partners and in a great turn of fate Anita soon learned
that Wos himself painted rowing scenes ~ and that his pieces were unlike
any others she had ever seen. Instead of just New England-based art, Lenny
had paintings of rowing scenes in places like Southern California and
Tennessee. Tremendously inspired, she took Lenny’s paintings up
to Watermark to see if there was still a chance for her to purchase the
company. It was then that she happily learned that things with the rival
buyer had not worked out. Anita was finally able to purchase the company
and start her own business. The Art of Rowing was born. Lenny then became
her business partner in addition to her rowing partner and, at the end
of last July, became her partner in life as well when they tied the knot
at Lake Quinsigamond and rowed off into the sunset.
Anita loves the works she does at The Art of Rowing and describes it as
“two different jobs” depending on the time of year. Half the
time she travels across the country selling artwork at various regattas
and races and the rest of the time she concentrates on her website sales.
While Waterworks had sold their images strictly through catalogs, Anita
knew that she could “grow the business by putting it on the web.”
While Anita does not paint any of the works she sells, she does work on
the graphic design sides of thing, making new images in Photoshop from
rare vintage pieces like silk from antique cigarette boxes and original
ads from the 1890s. Anita loves the flexibility of her job and says, “I
enjoy the customers that I meet and I enjoy bringing them the art of rowing.”
And as a lifelong fan of rowing and regattas, Anita gets to spend time
around the sport that means so much to her. Is there a downside to owning
her own business? “There’s no tech support to call when something
doesn’t work!”
Check out www.artofrowing.com
and see what the website describes as art “…from the best
painters of rowing - Jamie Cavaliere, Thomas Eakins, John Gable, Gordon
Haas, Patrice Murphy, Leonard Wos. We carry posters and cards with the
photographs by Alexander Bridge, Jerry Driendl and David Foster. Art that
rowers can identify with.” And maybe even drop by Lake Quinsigamond
from August 10 -13 for the National Masters Rowing Championships. You
might catch a glimpse of
Anita ~ and you’ll definitely get a chance to see firsthand the
rowing that inspires her and the other artists at Art of Rowing!