Steve Rogers is a Maine painter whose work honors the quiet strength of the working waterfront and the watermen who depend on it. Though raised on a Pennsylvania farm far from the coast, Steve found himself captivated by the sea during childhood trips to Ocean City, New Jersey. That early thrill—of marshes, boats, and wide open water—never left him.“I have never ceased to be fascinated by ships and the sea,” Steve says. “In fact, marshlands and boatyards will do just as well.”Steve paints in acrylics using oil techniques on linen over panel, favoring visible brushwork and layered texture. His compositions—docks, skiffs, lobster boats, and the geometry of reflected water—combine technical precision with deep reverence. “Reflections can show what you don’t see,” he notes, “like the underside of a dock. You have a different point of view.”Largely self-taught, Steve credits a lifetime of drawing, artist friends, and careful observation for shaping his approach. “Sometimes,” he says, “I just have to stop. I get up, go outside and watch the ospreys, the blue heron, the seagulls wheeling over the canal. After a few minutes, I go back to work.”For years, he taught model boat building at the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine—a natural extension of his deep respect for maritime craftsmanship and history. A former U.S. Air Force officer and active arts advocate, Steve believes in the value of service and leadership, whether in the studio or the community.His paintings carry a quiet sense of memory and admiration. “Some people have said there’s a sadness to my work,” he says. “To some extent there may be—but it’s more a recognition, admiration, and respect.”Hear more of Steve’s story on Radio Maine.