Roger Gilmore
Una Arbor Vitae (The One Tree of Life), Acrylic
I'm a new artist, having begun this recent journey in 2023 after one of my sons gave me a fine drawing set for Christmas. Since I hadn't done any artwork since fourth grade, I asked my son what I should do with it. He said, "Don't worry about it, Dad. You're retired now and can just play around with it." A few weeks later, courses at Haywood Community College jump-started my interest, and soon thereafter I joined HCAC.
I first started working in acrylics and delved into watercolor in early 2026, a medium I find fascinating with its many varied techniques.
Although born and raised in a small town in upstate New York, after college the US Navy sent me, and later my family, to locations throughout the US and around the world. I retired from the Navy in 2005 after 27 years of active duty, and then transferred to the Veterans Health Administration. We've lived in Waynesville since 2016, and I've recently retired from the Asheville VA Medical Center. I'm constantly fascinated by the sublime mystery of our natural world, which fills me with awe and wonder. It is my muse.
