An artist's passing
Friends of longtime Greensboro artist Keith Rose have contacted us to report that he passed away at age 87 last week in Matthews, N.C.
His obituary appears in today's News & Record.
During his 30 years in Greensboro, Rose became known for his passion for painting and his unflappable will to live life and take risks.
A self-taught artist, Rose left the corporate world as a chemist at age 55 to paint full-time. His watercolors sold, and he showed his work in galleries across the state. And he became a mentor and teacher in Greensboro's art community.
But in 2004, his eyesight failing, Rose sold his paintings and moved with his wife, Betsy, to the Charlotte area, to be closer to his son and daughter-in-law.
"I think the last 30 years have been the richest, most meaningful part of my life," Rose told News & Record staff writer Jeri Rowe for an article at the time.
A memorial service will be held Saturday in Matthews. A celebration of his life and his art is being planned in Greensboro, sometime in January.