Visitors to the Art Wall at Deerfield’s will be treated to the work of a pair of artists this month.
Denis and Barbara Rogers have been married for 46 years; art has been an important part of their lives since they were dating but their journey into the world of displaying their work publically is something relatively new. And, it is not the same.
“Barbara is big in oils,” Denis said. “I’m more into acrylics and sketching.”
About 10 years ago, the Rogers’ children were grown and one of them motivated his mother to chart a new path.
“My younger son gave me a gift of some art material,” Barbara said. “I decided to take classes and was having so much fun.” About the same time Denis picked up his own art supplies after a long hiatus. “He is a sketching maniac,” she said.
Denis actually thought about making art his career when he began his higher education at the Art Institute of Chicago. “I started at the Art Institute but realized no one could make any money at it,” he said. “I decided to do something where I could make money.”
Denis embarked on a business career where he has owned a steel company, dealt in real estate, imported bulbs and worked in plastics. “I’m an innovator and an entrepreneur,” he said. His business success has let the Rogers enjoy the world of art.
Denis Rogers’s business success has enabled the couple to enjoy art in different places in the world and help younger artists get a start. “We’ve given scholarships to pay for supplies,” he said.
A great deal of Barbara’s work involves painting portraits. She is thrilled how the basic features everyone shares can show so much individuality. “Everyone has two eyes, a nose a mouth, two ears and a head,” she said. “They all have that but they are all so different.”
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