in 1945, rowe began making regular trips to mexico and the american southwest where he had many artist friends including mexican muralist david alfaro siqueiros and santa fe artists joseph bakos and walter mruk. he finally settled in taos, new mexico in 1951, and continued to paint in the taos area until he was murdered in 1955. rowe was a brilliant painter and a successful art educator. his untimely death at the relatively young age of 45 cut short a promising career.