In early 1990, Scott Rogers was selling oil and gas wells in Texas. Six months later, he decided to become a sculptor and never looked back. The catalyst was a piece of art that totally captured his imagination. It was his first purchase of sculpture and he was entranced by it. He spent months studying it, even taking it outside to look at it in the moonlight. One day he came home from work, and the thought struck him with force, “I can do that.” Rogers says of that moment, “I had this gnawing, this prompting.” That day he went down to his local art supply store, cleaned them out of clay, and started sculpting that night.
In the ensuing years Rogers has hardly slowed down, becoming one of Utah’s most prolific sculptors. While his creative focus and artistic reputation centers on the “old west”, his subjects range from rugged mountain men to wondering conquistadors, to old-time sports teams, and from majestic animals to pensive mothers to gushing oil rigs. His studio in Paradise, Utah is replete with ongoing projects, and he is especially known for his group compositions. All of them have one unifying element, emotion.
“When beginning a piece, the first thing I do is isolate an emotion I know intimately. Something that pulls at my heart. In fact, to me the words ‘sculpture’ and ‘feelings’ are synonymous. I love it when someone views one of my pieces and says, ‘I feel like I’m on the back of the bucking horse’ or ‘I can hear the roar of the stampede’. I know art uplifts the spirit, it makes one want to be better, to reach out for that which is good in life.”
Part of Roger’s mastery is found in the geometry of his compositions, and how the inherent shapes build emotional impact. “Humanity has specific responses to certain shapes”, he explains. “If I sit and draw an ‘s’ shape, it gives a certain feeling. If I draw lightning bolts, that gives a different feeling. Composition is so important. I’ve learned that people feel great composition, rather than see it.”
For the 2016/2017 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, Scott Rogers’ piece “All Her Chicks” is on display along the sidewalk in downtown St. George, just in front of the Main Street Plaza. The bronze depicts an expectant mother, her heart full of love and anticipation, feeding a brood of baby chicks in the barnyard. For her, serving is a joy and her home is where all are made to feel welcome.
As with all sculptures in the exhibit, “All Her Chicks” can be purchased or leased-to-own by interested organizations or individuals. Art Around the Corner is a non-profit foundation, and all purchases from are tax deductible. The work of the foundation has been a highly effective collaboration between the arts and city planners. The resulting works of art enhance our public spaces, lift our spirits and elevate our quality of life.
Cindy Trueblood
Director of Community Relations & Sales