I graduated from Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida in 1974. I lived and worked in the Bradenton and Sarasota areas for 23 years where I owned and operated Enterprise Studios. I designed and built wooden signs, did advertising art and illustration. Along the way, I did many portraits and murals. The creative side of commercial art was very rewarding but I wasn’t too good at the business side. It turned out to be great experience and training ground for my second life as a fine artist.
After 20 years of commercial artwork, I looked forward to the freedom of only painting for myself. I struggled early on. Even though I needed income, I turned down commissions because they felt too much like the commercial work that I used to do. The longer I paint for myself, the freer Ifeel. I know it shows in the paintings. At times, I think or it is suggested to me that certain types of paintings or subjects might be more marketable. My freedom alarm bell starts ringing so I am happy that my work sells regularly. Living and working in my studio/home on Dog Island for 15 years placed me in a rural, isolated place with less than 20 permanent residents. I fell in love with the area and inspiration is everywhere. I now divide my time between Dog Island and our home and studio on River Road in Carrabelle. I look forward to and am thankful for being able to paint everyday.
Art for me is strictly my need to do it. I need to capture the time, place, feeling of being there, of knowing my subjects intimately. I work hard and try to makeit work visually. What it means, I don’t know and I don’t care. The joy for me is the creating and the painting, then watching and listening to those who enjoy italso. When I hear people’s comments like, “I know that place – I can feel the heat -- I can smell the rain, the sea -- I’d really like to walk there --That looks like what I feel,” then I know they sense what I saw. At a recent show someone said, “boy, you sure must like your job!” It is true, I do!
My current professional affiliations include: • National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society, Signature Member • Oil Painters of America • American Society of Marine Artists • American Impressionists Society, Inc.
Roger Leonard Vita
Education
Graduated, Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, Florida, 1974.
Solo Exhibitions
2017
Carrabelle Artists Association, Rio Carrabelle Gallery, Carrabelle, FL
2013
"Two Masters", 1020 Art, Tallahassee, Fl.
2009
Davis College, the First Hundred Years, Davis College, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
2008 -- 2015
United States Courthouse Annex, Senator’s Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.
2006
An Evening with the Artist at Thomas Eads Fine Art Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.
1st Firday: A Summer Celebration presented by Gulf Alliance for Local Art, The Port Inn, Port St. Joe, Florida.
Mexico Beach Community Development Council, Welcome Center Gallery, Mexico Beach, Florida.
2005
Atrium Gallery, Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, Tallahassee, Florida.
2001
Sea Oats Gallery, St. George Island, Florida.
1999 and 2001
Bay Art and Frame, Panama City, Florida.
1997 – 2006, 2010 - 2013
(Yearly)Yacht Club, Dog Island, Florida.
Juried Exhibitions and Awards
2021
Artsfields, Lake City SC. Painting STOP exhibited.
2020
OPA, Eastern Regional, Reinhart Fine Art, Charleston, SC. Painting TIMBER ISLANDS exhibited.
2017
NOAPS National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Holiday Small Works Exhibit. Cathy Kline Art Gallery, Parkville MO. Timber Island, awarded Honorable Mention.
55 th Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City FL. Indian Lagoon awarded the Merit Award.
2016
OPA, Salon Show, Castle Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN. Painting INDIAN PASS exhibited. Artsfields, Lake City, SC Indian Pass
NOAPS National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Best of America Show. Addison Art Gallery, Orleans MA. St. Joe Bay, awarded Best Landscape in show.
54 th Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City FL. Indian Pass
2015
Hilton Head Art League, 2015 Biennale, Hilton Head, SouthCarolina. Indian Pass.
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society’s “Signature Member Show, The Best of the Best,” Osage Beach, Missouri, Turner River (People’s Choice Award)
and Bear Island (Honorable Mention).
2014
National Oil and Acrylic Painter’s Society“Best of America”“Last Stand”
Visual Art Center of Northwest Florida, 52nd Annual Art Show,First Place in painting
"Turner River"
2013
National Oil and Acrylic Painter’s Society"Best of America, 2013" Osage Beach Misssouri. Oyster Rock-A-Fellers.
Art League of Hilton Head S.C.2013 Biennale National Juried Exhibition"Oyster Po`Boys"
2011
Visual Art Center of North West Florida, 49th Bay Annual Art Show, Merit Award, “Oyster Boat”
OIl Painters of America Fall Online Showcase, “Tyson Harbor” and “West End”
2010
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society’s “Best of America, 2010,” Osage Beach, Missouri, Oyster Boat.
2009
Oil Painters of America. Eastern Regional, Jacksonville, Florida. Windmill Prairie.
Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, 47th Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City, Florida. 2nd place for Shucked.
2008
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society’s “Best of America, 2008,” Osage Beach, Missouri, Cannon Ball Acres.
Hilton Head Art League, 21th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Shucked.
2007
Boca Grande Art Alliance, 20th Anniversary National Juried Art Exhibition, Boca Grande, Florida. Merit Award for Turner River. Everett Raymond, Kinstler, Juror.
Hilton Head Art League, 20th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Gulf Coast Highway Past. Dean Mitchell, Juror.
2006
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Dixie Bell in the Mini 100.
Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, 44th Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City, Florida.
Mexico Beach Art Show, 8th Annual, Mexico Beach, Florida, First Place for Tidelines II.
The Bosque 21st Annual Conservatory Art Classic, Clifton, Texas, finalist for Winter Rye.
Hilton Head Art League, 19th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Low Country.
2005
Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, 43st Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City, Florida. Merit Award for Naples Landing.
Annual Mexico Beach Art Show, Mexico Beach, Florida.
2004
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Cypress and High Noon Dune II in the Mini 100.
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters‘ Society’s “Best of America, 2004,” Osage Beach, Missouri, Gutter Punk.
Gulf Alliance for Local Arts, 1st Annual Show 2004, Franklin County, Gulf County and Mexico Beach. Gala Showcase Award Winner for Wefings: A Portrait of a Building.
Charlotte County Art Guild, Inc. National Exhibit 2004, Punta Gorda, Florida. Finalist for Royalty.
Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, 42st Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City, Florida.
2003
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Copeland Prairie in the Top 100.
Hilton Head Art League, 16th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Second place for oil or polymer category for Reflections.
Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, 41st Bay Annual Art Show, Panama City, Florida. Merit Award for Sand Traces.
Annual Mexico Beach Art Show, Mexico Beach, Florida, Honorable Mention for Two-Dimensional Art for Calusa Palm.
2002
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, 2 works in the Top Mini 50.
Salon International 2002, International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas.
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society Exhibit, Osage Beach, Missouri.
The Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition, Cincinnati, Ohio, finalist landscape category.
2001
NOAPS, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society Exhibit, Osage Beach, Missouri.
The Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition, Cincinnati, Ohio, finalist landscape category.
The Bosque Conservatory Show, Clifton, Texas, finalist.
2000
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, 3 works in the Top 200.
Annual Mexico Beach Art Show, Mexico Beach, Florida, Best Two-Dimensional Art.
1999
National Arts for the Parks Competition, National Park Academy of the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, one work in the Top 200.
Selected Invitational and Group Exhibits
2011-2013
Aritists of Summer, 1020 Art, Tallahassee, Florida.
2010
2nd Annual Third on Canvas, von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida.
Aritists of Summer, 1020 Art, Tallahassee, Florida.
2009
Third on Canvas, von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida.
2007
"New Florida Landscapes" Exhibition at Thomas Eads Fine Art Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.
Love Your Mother, a Pictorial Discourse on the Environment, LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida.
2006
“Wild and the Sacred” Exhibition at Thomas Eads Fine Art Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.
Shaping a Collection, LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida.
2005
Wet Paint Auction, the Mental Health Association of Collier County, Naples, Florida.
2004
Florida by Florida Artists, LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida.
Mexico Beach Community Development Council, Welcome Center Gallery, Mexico Beach, Florida.
2002
Dolphin Splash, A Public Art Exhibit of Northwest Florida, Panama City, Florida.
2001
Franklin County Public Library, Carrabelle, Florida, grand opening.
Private Collections (over 250 works) in:Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and London, England.
Selected Professional MembershipsSignature Member: National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ SocietyAssociate Oil Painters of America
References Available upon request.