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Alumni News
Dragons: Myth & Reality – Virtual Talk with Courtenay Compton McGowen ’58
On Thursday, February 3, Courtenay Compton McGowen ’58 shared her insights with her virtual talk, “Dragons: Myth and Reality.” Courtenay explored the history of dragons worldwide and highlighted that this universal archetype has roots in almost every culture. Representations of dragons were compared using imagery from European, Ethiopian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other sources.
Courtenay began her talk by saying, “We may think that dragons are a thing of the past, but in fact, we are surrounded by dragons even today.” She then explored the many ways we encounter the mythology of dragons in art, architecture, and pop culture, both in the modern and ancient world.
“In short, dragons have always existed in all parts of the world. They are a type of inherited imagery from our earliest ancestors, passed down to us from our collective unconscious as a primordial archetypal image. The imagery varies from place to place, but the concept is the same. It is based on an innate fear of predators embedded in the human mind.”
Courtenay received a BA from Finch College and an MA in Art History from Columbia University. She refers to herself as a “recovering politician,” having served for eight years (four sessions) in the Nevada State Assembly prior to moving to Coronado, CA. Since joining the Coronado community, she has served on a number of Boards and Commissions, including the Cultural Arts Commission, the Coronado Tourism Improvement District board, the Coronado Schools Foundation board, and the Coronado Historic Resource Commission as well as the Coronado Historical Association board. Across the bridge in San Diego, Courtenay has chaired the Asian Arts Council (AAC) of the San Diego Museum of Art, co-chaired Programs for the AAC, and is currently chairing the AAC Study Group. She served as chair of the board of Mingei International Museum for six years and is involved in many committees there. She also ran the Coronado Art Walk for the Coronado Historical Association for twelve years.
A collector of many things, Courtenay is especially fond of textiles, as witnessed by the show in 2017 of Kanthas she gifted to Mingei International Museum. Her other textile interests include both Naga and Turkoman traditions.
To listen to a recording of Courtenay’s talk, click here.
A collector of many things, Courtenay is especially fond of textiles, as witnessed by the show in 2017 of Kanthas she gifted to Mingei International Museum. Her other textile interests include both Naga and Turkoman traditions.
To listen to a recording of Courtenay’s talk, click here.
Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.
