Speed painter and keynote speaker Sarah Rowan has spent almost three decades turning blank walls into stories. Her latest — a large-scale mural at Newtown’s Rising Sun Workshop, created in partnership with Dexcom — is a celebration of freedom, equal access and community for people living with diabetes.
Hero Photo: Dexcom’s Leeanne Beasley and MP Jenny Leong.
In the heart of Sydney’s inner city suburb of Newtown, where street art is practically part of the postcode, a new mural is stopping people mid-stride. Painted on the wall of Rising Sun Workshop — the much-loved café and communal motorcycle workshop on Whatley Street — the artwork carries a message that goes far deeper than its vivid brushwork.
Created by Australian artist Sarah Rowan in partnership with Dexcom, the mural celebrates the freedom that continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology can bring to people living with diabetes — whether Type 1 or Type 2.
“My inspiration for this mural was bringing together the character of Newtown, the unique location of Rising Sun Workshop, and the message behind the artwork,” Rowan says.
“The message was always the driving force. It highlights the freedom a CGM can provide for people living with diabetes.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have partnered with Dexcom to create a mural that celebrates equal access, freedom and community.”
Three Decades Of Paint And Purpose
Rowan has been painting murals since she was 16 — almost three decades of transforming blank walls and blank canvases into stories that spark curiosity, conversation and connection. But she’s the first to admit street art fame was never the goal.
“Most of my mural work has been for cafés and schools and, to be honest, I haven’t actively pursued a profile in the street art world,” she says. “My primary work is as a speed painter and keynote speaker, performing and speaking about creativity and mental health at conferences and events around the world.”
An acclaimed Creative Futurist, Rowan has presented at more than 600 events across Australia and internationally, using live speed painting and storytelling to inspire organisations to embrace creativity, innovation and human potential. She also creates live art at weddings, sporting events and fundraisers — and her charity artworks have helped raise nearly half a million dollars for good causes.
From Olympic Gold To Newtown
The mural Rowan says is closest to this one in scale and community impact sits on the side of Woonona Pet Food in Helensburgh, where she lives: a tribute to Olympic BMX gold medallist Saya Sakakibara and her brother Kai.
“It attracted more than 200 people to its launch on the day our local hero, Saya, won Olympic gold,” Rowan recalls.
Whether it’s an Olympic champion on a wall in the Illawarra or a message of freedom in Newtown, Rowan’s work is united by one purpose: creating art that leaves a lasting impact long after the paint has dried.
The mural can be seen at Rising Sun Workshop, 1C Whatley Street, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.