Vermilion Arts Guild's Mary "Cat" Rogers: Capturing Nature
Petite, pretty and genuine, Cat Rogers brings beautiful photography to the Vermilion Arts Guild Gallery. The majority of her work is digital and she makes interesting use of filters as she portrays largely nature-related work. Enjoy getting to know Cat, her work and what drives her creativity.
Did you choose your medium or did it choose you? “I guess you could say it chose me.”
Who or what inspired you to create art? “My horses. I started sketching and drawing them. I like to paint and started photography as a reference but it became my main medium but still like to paint.
At what age did you start creating art? “I was 16.”
Is this a hobby, a passion or a pursuit? “Definitely a passion. I grab the camera frequently and make the time, whether I have it or not, to go out to shoot.”
What is your favorite part of creating your art? Is it the planning, the anticipation of what might be, or the process? “I just look out my window into my backyard where some of my best photos are taken. I garden to attract birds, butterflies, insects and wildlife. It’s really just enjoying nature as it is and capturing it the best I can. Photographing nature is exciting because you never know what you are going to see or capture.”
Who is your favorite artist, famed or not, and why? “Can writers be classified as artist? [Yes, Cat, they certainly can]. I would have to say Henry David Thoreau and how he observed nature, then painted a picture with words.”
Is there any frustration in your art form? Where do you look for answers? “I would rather say there are challenges and learning experiences, constant but rewarding. I’m still learning all the time. I read Jim McCormack’s blog. He works for the division of wildlife. As a photographer he provides advice on equipment and settings for the best results.”
If you weren't creating art, what would you be doing? “A lot of normal things everyone else does, like gardening, making art with flowers, and learning more about permaculture and native plants for our area that will save our planet and insects, bees and other pollinators.”
Do you have another job outside of your art? Is so, what do you do? “I’m retired having worked for the Ohio Turnpike Commission for 27 years! That provided a good living and retirement but my art was definitely an escape from my job, which required me to work seven days and three different shifts before getting a day off. I now keep very busy with The Berlin Heights Garden Club, The Sandusky Bay Archaeology Club and the Vermilion Arts Guild.”
Did your art relate to your job or was it an escape? “We worked swing shifts for many years and I was able to attend art classes at LCCC. I joined the Klingshern Winery Photo Club and took other photo classes with local professionals. The coolest thing was a trip with another photographer to Hawaii for a photo workshop with Cole Weston, son of Edward Weston and a friend of Ansel Adams, some of the first photographers whose work was considered art. It was a very inspirational experience.”
What brings you to the Vermilion Arts Guild? “There are so many talented artists there and every time I work in the gallery I feel privileged and motivated to share more art.”
What’s the biggest benefit to being a member of the Vermilion Arts Guild? “Meeting other artists who love art as much as I do. One of my most exciting moments was when I sold my first piece shortly after I joined.”
What do you think someone would like to know about you as it relates to your art? “Many of my photos are taken in my own backyard. I live in the country and have lots of native plants for pollinators, which in turn attracts lots of birds, butterflies, insects and wildlife for me to photograph.
Can you share any memorable stories about your art? “I had a neighbor come over and gave me a big, unexpected hug because I had taken a photo of her granddaughter crawling along a fallen tree in her backyard and dropped it off in her mailbox. I also used to see an older couple sitting on their front porch, She would sit on one swing and he on another across from her. I had taken a photo of them and gave it to her when he died. Those are the best photos.”
Finally, your best moment ever as it relates to your art. “When I realized other people appreciated my photos as much as I do. My favorite photo, as I answer this question, is of a yellow warbler migrating thru Ottawa wildlife refuge. I took it last Sunday.”