About WenDee Rowe

From the Seat of a Bike Exhibit on display through June

They’re not simply pictures of beautiful sunsets, and cows grazing in fields across Kansas—they’re snapshots of a passionate journey. The collection of photos that
comprise the “Fron the Seat of a Bike” exhibit tell the story of artist WenDee Rowe’s desire to explore her home state.

Rowe has been documenting her gravel bike rides for three years. “I started getting into gravel biking when I turned 60. On my 60 th birthday I rode nine miles and just about died”, she laughed. Gravel biking has given her the opportunity to slow down and appreciate all the unique geography Kansas has to offer. She began her artistic journey by sharing her photos on social media. Eventually, a friend suggested she consider doing an exhibit. “I liked the idea and so I designed my exhibit to mirror the way it looks on Facebook,” she said.

“I show my pictures with vignettes. Some of them are of crops, different seasons, or dogs I meet
on the road.”

Rowe has called Inman in McPherson County home since 2006. “I’m amazed at the diversity in geography just a few miles from where I live,” she said. “There’s always a surprise and you learn something about the area while biking these routes—-like where to stop and get a good piece of pie or where a neat wooden bridge is located.” Rowe was hired by the Kansas Sampler Foundation in 2006 and served as project manager in charge of communication and promotion of the annual Kansas Sampler Festival. Following the final festival in 2017, she took the lead on the Big Kansas Road Trip, an active and fun way to bring people together.

Rowe’s passion for all things Kansas is on full display in a book she co-authored, “Kansas Guidebook 2 for Explorers.” She accompanied co-author Marci Penner to every incorporated city in Kansas for research.