Barry Rowe's career as a painter began when he won the prestigious Sotheby's/Transport Trust Art Award for his portrait of five times world champion Juan Manual Fangio. An automotive magazine feature of Barry's work followed, which led to commissions from Louis Vuitton of Paris, and Royal Caribbean Lines for their new cruise ships. Barry's art, prints and posters have been exhibited in London, Silverstone, Goodwood, Paris, and The Hotel de Paris Monaco, New York Cavallino Classic Palm Beach (Ferrari) Pebble Beach (Athena Award of Excellence 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004 and also the Lincoln award), and Meadow Brook Hall where he has received four awards of excellence. Barry also received an award of excellence at the new Cranbrook Hall Concours d'Elegance in 2003. He has been commissioned to paint the Cranbrook Hall Concours d'Elegance poster art for 2004 (USA).
Barry was delighted when he was elected a full member of the Automotive Fine Art Society and continues to exhibit at their annual events at Pebble Beach and Amelia Island. He painted the Concours poster for Pebble Beach in 1998 and 1999 and the Pebble Beach Tour Poster from 2000 onwards. Barry also painted the poster for the Monterey Historic Automobile Races in 2003. He has twice been the featured artist in Classic and Sports Car magazine, and his art, prints and posters have also appeared in the UK national press, including The Times.
In September 2001, a feature article of Barry's work entitled "A Brush with Greatness” was published in the Chicago Tribune. Barry's work has also featured in several magazines, Autoweek, Road and Track, Showcase from the publishers of the Robb Report, and there was a 10-page feature of his work displayed in the December 2000 issue of Automobile Quarterly. Fascinated with the expression of light and atmosphere, Barry almost always includes people in his automotive art, prints and posters, and treats his pictures as art, not just illustrations of cars.