Rodgers Naylor is a native Washingtonian, Rodgers Naylor was born near Georgetown and spent his childhood on a farm near the Pautuxent River in Maryland. He pursued painting and drawing at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, The Atelier in Minneapolis, and the Art Students’ League of Denver after attending the University of Chicago and Carleton College for academics.

Rodgers paints both in the studio and en plein air and continues to draw and paint the figure from life. Although many works are done in the studio, it is the foundation of plein-air and life work which makes the studio painting possible.

The simple but elusive concepts of light and depth are woven throughout Rodgers’ oil paintings and are always foremost in his mind as he paints. His work reflects his love of exploring the world’s natural and cultural wonders, which may be near or far and seen at any season, at any time of day, and in any weather. His inspirations are often found in the everyday settings that we all tend to hurry past.

After living on the east coast and in the Midwest for many years, Rodgers moved in early 2001 to Colorado where he now lives with his wife and their two cats. He is an avid traveler and hiker, and loves to cook and play the piano.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I work “alla prima,” usually beginning with a warm-tone underpainting and completing a painting in one session. Others are done as a part of a group of paintings done together over a period of weeks. I am interested in the effects of light and shadow as well as warm and cool colors. I am also intrigued by the interplay between the landscape and its human inhabitants. I paint expressively and decisively, both in the studio and en plein air. I am especially drawn to scenes of human activity, so many of my paintings involve figures in the context of a landscape.