Steve Rogers has loved boats and water all his life. Not only does he paint boats, but he also builds them in ship model form. He is a nationally recognized ship model builder, has written five books on the subject, teaches at the Woodenboat School in Maine, and won a certificate of commendation at the year 2000 Modelbuilders Competition at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Va. Steve is also a signature member of the American Society of Marine Artists.
Although model building and fine art would seem unrelated, each supports and enhances the other. Understanding construction methods, thinking in three dimensions, and working from blueprints and photographs allows Steve to visualize the boats and ships that become the subjects of his paintings.
Steve works primarily in acrylics and paints traditional working craft. These are not pampered fiberglass yachts, but hard-bitten and over-worked oystermen, crabbers, and menhaden steamers. His paintings capture the toughness and durability of everyday working boats and the sheer beauty and stark terror of the weather and waters they work in.
Steve is the recipient of the 2005 Established Artist Fellowship from the Delaware Division of the Arts. He has been honored with the title "Master" in the 2015 Delaware By Hand Masters Exhibition. In addition to the Peninsula Gallery, he is represented by Delaware and the Art of the Sea Gallery in South Thomaston, Maine as well as the Gallery 1683 in Annapolis, Maryland.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 for that matter, a simple skiff. I love the stark beauty of the wetlands, the sheer power of the ocean, and the inherent structures in the docks and warehouses of a working waterfront. So much of what we see today of our marine heritage is slowly fading away under the irresistible and relentless pressure of development. My work is simply a small effort to preserve some memories of what used to be for those who remember fondly, and those who are unaware of what life was like only a few decades ago. Some people have said there is a sadness to my work. To some extent there may be, but it is more a recognition, admiration, and respect for the lives and work of those who work on the water.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t draw or paint. I consider myself essentially self-taught but not without the advice and help from various art teachers, mentors, and artist friends. Although I work in acrylics, I use oil techniques. I like to see paint strokes and texture and I love the look of canvas. From this point on, the painting takes on a life of its own and even though I think I know where it’s going, I can be surprised. Sometimes, I just have to stop. I get up, go outside and watch the ospreys across the street, the blue heron in the marsh, and the seagulls wheeling and diving above the canal. After a few minutes, I go back to work.
