ARTISTS' EXCHANGE delaware
STEVE ROGERS
"From the time I was old enough to hold a pencil, or a brush, I have drawn or painted. It is simply my idea of a good time. Although I have worked in many different media over the years, I find I enjoy working with acrylics the most. I like the flexi- bility of technique that they afford you. That is not to say that I don’t also enjoy painting with oils as well. For me, plein-aire painting is particularly challenging and re-warding.
Although I am for the most part self taught, I have benefited from a lot of encouragement from friends and family. Some art lessons during my high school years gave me a solid base to begin with and it is not hard to work at something you love.
I have never ceased to be fascinated by ships and the sea. In fact, marshlands and boatyards will do just as well. I am amazed by the craftsmanship, design and beauty in the building of a ship or even a simple skiff. I love the stark beauty of the wetlands, and the sheer power of the ocean. I have made it a point to study the boats and ships I render in my work . This has helped me in both the paintings and the ship models that I build. It is astonishing how much material is available in books,as well as in plan form in the many museums and historical societies that preserve this material. These have become my resources for the important details that can only be realized when you see the actual boat in its working environment, or have the privilege of handling 100-year-old original builder’s plans of working boats built before the turn of the
century.
There is no substitute for seeking out the harbors and boatyards where these craft exist and photographing and sketching them. This is an aspect of the artistic process I could not do without and truly enjoy as well. I consider myself fortunate in the extreme to be able pursue my art as well as share it with the public."
- Steve Rogers
