Sanford Honors Carol Cowie ’71 with Inaugural Arts Award

The inaugural award was presented to Carol Cowie ’71, an accomplished painter and creative professional whose lifelong passion for art has taken her from Sanford's campus to a successful career in graphic design, advertising, and fine art.

As a Sanford student, Carol embraced every part of campus life. She served on Student Council, joined the National Honor Society, welcomed prospective families as a Campus Guide, and competed in varsity hockey and tennis. She also received the Senior Gavel in recognition of her leadership, kindness, academic achievement, and involvement in the school community.

For Carol, a full-time boarding student, Sanford was more than a school; it was home. "As a full time border it was like being in college a few years early–only with a lot more rules," Carol recalled. "I became good friends with so many students in all the grade levels because we lived together, shared meals, classes, proms and all the wonderful sports activities."

Those experiences shaped far more than her school years. As Carol reflected, "Looking back, my Sanford years helped me define the core of my values and community involvement I have carried with me ever since."

The natural beauty of Sanford's campus also left a lasting impression. Carol remembers the trees, rolling hills, streams, and pergolas where students gathered, crediting Nancy Sawin and her family's vision for the landscape with deepening her appreciation for nature and community. Today, she continues to find inspiration in the gardens and outdoor spaces she creates around her own home.

That appreciation has remained a defining part of Carol's creative journey. After building a career in graphic design and advertising, including roles as Senior Art Director at J. Walter Thompson Advertising and Art Director and Creative Director consultant for National Geographic Worldwide, Carol continued to pursue her passion for painting.

Today, she is an accomplished plein air artist whose landscapes capture the beauty of the natural world through color, movement, and light. Her work is represented in galleries throughout the greater Washington area and has earned numerous honors, including First Place from the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and Best of Show at The Artist Eye at Benfield Gallery.

During the award presentation, Sanford Visual Arts Department Chair Maria Tate reflected on the connection between Carol's artistic vision and the landscape that surrounded her as a student. "One of the things that stands out to me most in Carol's work is her attention to growth: the fullness of her blooms, the movement of leaves and grasses, and especially the way light settles across the landscape," shared Tate. "It feels fitting that an artist shaped, in part, by Sanford's campus would continue to return to the natural world with such curiosity and care."

For Carol, that curiosity continues to grow with each new artistic experience: "The more I learn about art and painting (and life!), the more curious I become," she shared. "I guess this means my glass is always full!"

As Sanford's first Arts Award recipient, Carol represents the lifelong creativity, curiosity, and pursuit of passion that the school encourages in every student.