Creating artwork is a mystical voyage for multimedia artist Chase Allen Rogers. The Vero Beach resident dabbles in clay, acrylics, graphite, charcoal and collage, honing her skills in each medium as a way to channel her expressions.
“Art is a spiritual journey for me, not a destination. As long as I am creating, authentically connected to the Divine, the possibilities are limitless,” she says.
The results of that journey decorate her Instagram page, alight with soft, unobtrusive colors that lead the viewer into dreamlike worlds. Hummingbirds pollinate free flowing flowers, and angels breathe into heavenly trumpets. Flamingos and other Florida seabirds dance among Rogers’ artwork, as well as the occasional rabbit and fox.
Rogers says that all of the wildlife and spiritual beings in her art reflect a connection to the universe that began in her youth.
“As early as my teens I was drawn to the sacred and mystical. I feel many artists have a particular sense that allows them to see ‘beyond’ the physical and translate those visions through their art or poetry,” Rogers explains.
“I seek to convey metaphysical meaning; our inner resonance with the outer world. I want people to enjoy and contemplate my pieces without feeling overwhelmed. They tend to be quieter pieces that hold a meditative space.”
This contemplative state takes the form of picturesque houses and gardens in some of her pieces, and as mysterious, hazy forests in others. Sharing what she considers divine is more than an artistic pursuit for Rogers; it is also a calling.
“I see this as a sacred responsibility and I can only hope people feel something metaphysical or mystical stirring when looking at my pieces. At the very least, connection,” she says.
Long before she settled among the sand and surf of Vero Beach, Rogers says she dreamed up her first creative piece at just 3 years old.
“I have a marker drawing of a tugboat hanging in my bathroom drawn at the age of 3,” she shares.
This toddler’s illustration would eventually blossom into a passion, one that would earn her first art award in high school and entry into a summer program at the acclaimed Parsons School of Design in New York City.
It was there, at age 17, that Rogers began to consider a career path in art and design. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University followed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking and painting with a minor in art history from the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
The multimedia artist continued her pursuit of arts education in the Sunshine State, studying design and illustration at the Miami Ad School.
“I am an artist, writer, designer and brand strategist,” Rogers declares.
Rich in varied art forms, Rogers’ online portfolio demonstrates this diversity with sections dedicated to copywriting and editing, promotional and packaging design, and logo design, in addition to the traditional painting and drawing.
Rogers embraces all aspects of the creative process from her home studio.
“My use of media has evolved over the years. I am classically trained in printmaking and oils, but as life became busy and I became more nomadic … I create spontaneously,” she says.
Her sources of inspiration are as comprehensive as her artwork. Among the many artists she admires are influential Dutch Post-Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh, 18th century English poet and painter William Blake, and Russian-French Modernist Marc Chagall.
“I appreciate their expressive sensitivity,” she reveals. “They honestly convey visionary and mystical energy.”
In the same vein, Rogers’ work conveys serenity, a liminal place halfway between the natural and the spiritual realms. Nature, abstract landscapes and figures are prominent in her body of work, which she classifies as “semi-abstract expressionism.”
“I am in love with the juxtaposition between order and expression. I like to blur the lines between perception and reality. Eager to retranslate the energies of life through a metaphysical lens, I draw and redraw, paint and repaint, scrape, etch and layer until a piece feels complete,” Rogers explains.
Such meticulous attention to her craft has led Rogers to occasionally show her artwork, but she admittedly spends more time in her studio than in galleries. Having displayed her work thousands of miles away in California, Rogers currently chooses to maintain a low profile with her art in Vero Beach.
“I don’t often display my work. I am relatively private and prefer to market word of mouth and through social media. I occasionally auction pieces for charity. I have created several commissions over the years for interior designers as well as private clients. I love to create custom pieces that hold meaning for the buyer.”
Having split her childhood between Greenwich, Conn., and Atlanta, Rogers describes Vero Beach as “a home away from home for 53 years and a permanent home for the past four years.”
Hoping to become a more avid participant in the local creative community, the busy mother of two teenagers desires to share not only her art but also ideas with her Vero Beach neighbors.
“I am interested in bringing artists and visionaries together in Vero. I think a creative think tank or salon where we can openly discuss and share philosophical and metaphysical ideas would be exciting,” says Rogers, encouraging like-minded individuals to reach out and connect.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
