Steve Rogers – Circle Foundation for the Arts

What themes does your work involve?

My work celebrates working boats and those who work on the water as well as the landscapes and seascapes that surround them.

Describe your creative process.

My work begins with road trips into the field. I travel the coast from Maine to Florida and seek out small harbors and waterfronts. I use a camera extensively to document what I find, taking images from multiple directions around a subject. Some decisions are made before I print the images and then I arrange them over my easel before I work on the final composition. Elements in the pictures are combined, moved or eliminated to arrive at the almost final composition.

What influences your work? What inspires you?

I have always been influenced by the beauty that surrounds me. I have always loved boats and the water. I would consider myself a lover of the Brandywine school, the New Hope school, and the Cos Cob impressionists. I am also an admirer of Edward Hopper. I live on the water, across from an extensive marsh and there is something to see every day. Eagles, Ospreys and Herons live there. I watch the sunrise every day over that marsh and it inspires me to pick up my brush and work.

What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?

Some people say there is a sadness to my work. It's not that , it's respect. I think a work first has to be something you had to say but after that, it has to speak to the viewer. Not all work that satisfies you will be great art but some will. Great art is a rare thing.

What is the role of the artist today?

I got my modest talent from my mother and my determination from my father. I have drawn or painted all my life. I have painted full-time and professionally for thirty years. It does take time to develop your skills. I consider myself a member of a community. I have served on city commissions, local foundations and on the board of trustees of the Rehoboth art league. Being a member of a community means that you have to give back to that community.

"I love the stark beauty of wetlands and the sheer power of the ocean, as well as the geometry and architecture of weathered docks and warehouses of the working waterfront. Much of our marine heritage is crumbling away under the relentless pressure of development. I try to preserve it."

What themes does your work involve?

Describe your creative process.

What influences your work? What inspires you?

What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?

What is the role of the artist today?