The Art of Rowing

Inspired by the Sport’s Elegance, Anita Correnty turns Rowing into Artwork

By Annette Cinelli

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!