In A Different Light – The Water Colours: Kevin Rogers

This exhibition reveals a new side of internationally recognised artist Kevin, showcasing his passion for watercolour after dedicating the past year to creating an entirely new body of work.

Featuring historical and traditional Australian scenes alongside imaginative cottages, landscapes, and seascapes from around the world, the collection highlights Kevin’s ability to blend realism with gentle whimsy. Known for keeping his imagery simple and instantly recognisable, Kevin creates artworks that spark memories, invite quiet storytelling, and offer viewers a moment of peace. True to his philosophy that everyone should own an original artwork, this exhibition presents an accessible and heartfelt celebration of his evolving practice.

About the Artist

The first solo exhibition by Kevin Rogers was held in Maryborough in March 2019. Kevin is now presenting his 12th solo exhibition in 2026 at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough.

Kevin was born in Brisbane in the late 1950s, raised at the Gold Coast then over the next 50 years he has lived in every State and Territory of Australia, including six years in Malaysia. During this time Kevin served in the RAAF and retired in 2009 to pursue his vocation of art.

Kevin has always had an interest in art and photography and since his first win at an art competition at the age of 13 in 1970, he has honed his skills to the level he holds today. Kevin bought his first art books by Walter Foster in 1964 at the age of 7. He has amassed an impressive portfolio of winning artworks in many competitions around Australia and internationally including Master Status in pencil art. He has also judged international art competitions in USA and UK.

“Australian Artists” is a Facebook group Kevin began and has administered since 2013. The group has around 10,000 members across the country. Kevin enjoys imparting his knowledge and time to art and receives the same in return from the talented members of his group.

Kevin is married to Jeanette and has two children and two grandchildren. He has been married for 45 years and has a wealth of stories to tell about his travels around Australia. Kevin and his wife have done three laps of Australia and travelled many outback tracks, one of which led him to Daly Waters in the Northern Territory where they lived in a village of 8 people for 8 years. It was here, Kevin built a rustic “Outback Workshop Gallery”, which was visited by thousands of people each year. From this little village he travelled to outlying stations, crocodile infested waters, aboriginal towns and isolated fishing villages to get his inspiration for his artworks.

Kevin now spends most every day in his studio, listening to music and creating his art.

Image:  "In the Twilight Years", watercolour by Kevin Rogers

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A timeless favourite

‘The DalyWaters Pub’ artwork shows the Pub back in the 1950s.  This pub was always on Kevin's bucket list to visit and in 2009, on their third lap of Australia, they finally got to see it.  Kevin and his wife Jeanette were only there for a two-hour visit but ended up staying eight years. 

Up until this point, Kevin's life had been very busy, and he found himself without direction.  Kevin thought that just ‘stopping’ and hopping off the roundabout for a while would help him regain his life’s direction.  Little did he know that just ‘stopping’ would last for so long. 

They bought the only house for sale in the village, then spent a lot of time and 1,200km round trips to Bunnings in Darwin for building supplies.  Eventually, thanks to Mr. Google, Kevin learnt how to renovate a house, i.e., plastering, plumbing, carpentry, tiling, welding etc. 

Now that they had a base for further travels, Kevin had become accustomed to the ‘quiet’ of living in an outback town.  At this point they we were the only locals living in the town of just 8 people: 2 publicans and 4 backpacker staff. 

Once settled, it was time to recommence his art, so he built a Gallery out the front of the house and called it the ‘Workshop Gallery’.  It was built from scrap galvanized iron sheets from collapsed WW2 Airmen huts at the local airstrip. Kevin made the front door from an old broken-down bus which had two antique doors on it.  The Gallery was officially opened in late 2010 and ran up until a week before they left Daly Waters in August 2017. 

Living in such isolation taught Kevin many things.  It taught him to enjoy being by himself, to see the world from a different perspective and never take for granted the beauty of where he lived, no matter where that was.  It taught him not to be complacent with life.   

Kevin believes those lessons learnt from Daly Waters are reflected in the art he does today.

Daly Walters Pub 1950's 

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When

Location

Gatakers Artspace, 311 Kent Street, Maryborough, 4650, View Map