The 47th Annual Waterfowl Festival is proud to reveal this year’s signature work of art, The Long Stretch, created by its 2017 Featured Artist Julia Rogers.
Rogers, a local Eastern Shore painter, is an acclaimed wildlife artist at the local, regional and national level. She says, “When you see the place you live through an artist’s vision, it inspires you and renews your love of the beauty that is here and your commitment to conserving it.”
The 2017 featured piece spotlights an elegant, white Tundra Swan spreading its massive wings in the morning light. Rogers use of light and color reflecting off the water gives the painting action and depth, particularly against the backdrop of a Chesapeake Bay marsh teaming with geese and other black-billed Tundra Swans. “I love the color opportunities when painting white subjects,” Rogers explains. “The back lighting was so dramatic and the shadows created so many shades of blue. I also wanted to conjure up the rush of wings and the haunting sounds of the swan’s call.”
A Waterfowl Festival artist for many years, Rogers was honored to be chosen to create this year’s signature piece. She has been highlighted in the prestigious annual “Birds in Art Exhibition” at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, where her work has been purchased for their selective permanent collection. She is a regular exhibitor at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston, South Carolina and also attends other wildlife art shows across the country. Rogers is also a member and serves on the Board of the Society of Animal Artists and regularly exhibits in their annual show.
“I was so inspired by Julia’s vision and the final painting,” commented Margaret Enloe, Waterfowl Chesapeake Executive Director. “The Long Stretch perfectly captures the vibrancy of one of our most beautiful winter water birds and, for me, perfectly uses movement, light and detail to subtly show the interconnectedness of our ecosystem. We are honored to have this as our 2017 Featured Art piece.”
The painting, which measures 26″x40″ and is offered at $12,000, will be formally unveiled during the Festival’s VIP Premiere Night Party on Thursday November 9, 2017. More information is available by calling 410-822-4567, visiting www.waterfowlfestival.org or emailing [email protected].
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.