I would like to introduce you to the amazing artworks of Steven Roe which include colourful renditions of cherished parts of our coast and wonderful graphics of creatures that he studied with great observation and rendered with great skill. Steve died in 2020 but we were lucky to know him and help him with printing prior to this. He was a generous man, offering his help with things, despite being very unwell. And this generosity is continued by his wife Pippa who is donating all proceeds from sales of Steve’s prints to the Paul Sartori Foundation, a Pembrokeshire hospice-at-home charity that supported him so well in his final weeks. . We have already contributed £107 through Steve’s sales. We have eleven beautiful works of Steve’s to enjoy and possibly purchase through Steve’s page
Steven Roe was born in Sheffield in 1957. He studied at Bath Academy of Art in the mid-1970s and went on to work as a graphic designer. In the last decade of his life, Steven returned to drawing and painting, working carefully in his home studio to create detailed and deeply observed landscape and studies of the natural world. Among one of the most popular is his painting of a winter storm arriving in Porthgain from the west. After a fishing trip with a friend, he entered what his wife affectionately called his “fish period”, producing a small but beautiful collection of studies of mackerel and lobster. Although this body of work is modest in scale, the popularity of reproductions of Steven’s art has shown just how it resonates with people.
Steve’s wife Pippa sent these beautiful and evocative descriptions to accompany Steve’s works (in her words..):
“Steve’s pictures often began with close observation: a walk, a fishing trip, a creature seen in the garden, or a photograph taken before the moment disappeared. He also relished a technical challenge. These notes give a little of the story behind each work, including what caught his eye and what he was trying to capture.
Lobster 2015
Steve undertook this work to give himself the challenge of capturing the colours and beauty of a live lobster. You can imagine the fun and games of having a live lobster on the table. He took a lot of photos, studied the beast and then returned it to the owner, both unscathed. It took Steve several weeks to get the painting done to his satisfaction. He’d be very happy to know that this is one of his most popular works.
Fishing Boat 2015
Anyone who has visited Porthgain Harbour will know this boat. With this painting Steve wated to capture a quintessential Porthgain view and also work on representing the reflections in the water of the almost empty harbour. He did an amazingly good job.
Bryde’s Whale, 2014
This picture was not done from life! This was inspired by a magazine article and photograph. His goal was to take a very figurative approach but infuse it with a bit of M.C. Escher as the escaping fishy victims merge into the sea surface.
Heath Fritillary, 2018
When Steve and I lived at Maen Dewi Farm, St Davids, the garden and surrounding area were a haven for insects. Steve spotted this beautiful creature at the edge of our garden, where it merged into Dowrog Common. After lots of photographs and several hours of detailed work, the butterfly was preserved in this painting.
Snow Approaching Porthgain, December 2010
At the time we lived in Croes Goch and were out for a walk on a cold Sunday afternoon. As we were coming into Porthgain from the fields we saw these black clouds looming and the unusual colour of the sea as it reflected the cloud. Snow shortly followed. We have never experienced such a sustained snow fall and cold (it lasted nearly two weeks) in the St Davids area. Steve took a snap with his camera and then started work on the painting. He subsequently did several versions which are now on walls around the UK – some looser in style and some more figurative. This is a print of the version I retained and my favourite. Its is also one of the most popular prints.
Mackerel Sketch, 2010
Steve loved the colours of the mackerel and did two beautiful studies quite quickly (for him) after going fishing. The whole mackerel and the mackerel head make a lovely pair.
Mackerel Head Sketch, 2010
Steve loved the colours of the mackerel and did two beautiful studies quite quickly (for him) after going fishing. The whole mackerel and the mackerel head make a lovely pair.
The Catch, 2008
This sketch is based on several photographs Steve took after a particularly splendid haul after fishing. He loved the combination of the vibrant colours of the mackerel and the green seaweed. He did several versions of this work trying to get it exactly as he wanted. He was a perfectionist and this is the final version.
Red Admiral, 2018
Steve and I lived at Maen Dewi Farm St Davids when he was alive. The garden and surrounding area was a haven for insects. Steve saw this butterfly in our walled garden. After many photos and several hours of detailed work and the butterfly’s delicate beauty was portrayed in this painting.
Abereiddy Geology, 2018
We went to the blue lagoon one day and noticed that there had been a fresh cliff fall at the back of the lagoon. The colours of the slate and the ‘rusty’ marks were vibrant. Steve made some studies and used acrylics to create this picture. The original is mounted proud of a dark grey background and framed in black and makes a very dramatic focal point on the wall.
Limpets, 2012
We went down to Whitesands beach on Christmas day with Steve’s Mum who was visiting – the light was clear and pale. She was entranced by the tranquillity and beauty of the beach at low tide. As we were. Steve took photos of these familiar green rocks, covered with limpets and barnacles and went on to create this delicate small watercolour.”