On display in the hallway of Central Bank of Boone County in downtown Columbia
May 20 - July 8, 2025
Artist Statement
I’ve been drawing from the live model for over twenty years. Mostly, I’ve switched between various monochromatic media: charcoal, Conté crayon, pen, and ink. No color.
Except for two portraits created in the studio using photo references, all work in this collection, even the seemingly abstract pieces, originated from the life room. Drawings were taken to the studio as armatures to build upon. I would experiment with obliteration and overdrawing to create new shapes. Ultimately, the primary focus was exploring color possibilities.
Over the years, drawing the model has allowed me to develop different drawing modes. Techniques developed in the studio have informed my approach in the life room. In a single three-hour session, I may start with a loose sketch, follow up with a more detailed realistic drawing, and then switch into an abstract mode where I am looking for more general information in terms of shape and movement and laying it down on the page spontaneously, seeking expressive figures that surprise me.
Artist Bio
Jeff Rogers (b. 1965) was born in Kansas City, Kansas, but raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri, having earned a B.A. in English. Rogers worked as a digital creator in the public sector for 21 years, earning Telly awards and sharing a regional Emmy award for graphic animation and video production.
