ABOUT THE ARTIST Born in North Carolina in 1953, painter and sculptor Stuart Roper moved to Manhattan in the mid-1970s to attend the Art Students League of New York. There, he studied anatomy and figure drawing with Thomas Fogarty and portraiture with John Howard Sanden. Following New York, Stuart made a brief move to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied color theory under the direction of Gerry Wright. In 1980, he moved to St. Simons Island, Georgia for a year, prior to settling in the state's capital, Atlanta. Over the next ten years, his work included various commissions, both private and corporate, as well as a number of solo and group exhibitions. In the fall of 1991, Stuart moved to France, west of Paris in the small Normandy village of Pressagny l'Orgueilleux. There, he settled in the guest cottage of the Château de la Madeleine. Only minutes away from the home of Claude Monet in Giverny, the place and its artistic precedent guided Stuart's own paint handling; through plein-air work, he found the approach of the Impressionists, which has since characterized most of his painting. Normandy offered Stuart myriad tones of gray amidst the often-foggy landscapes, however, the frequent inclement weather made plein-air work difficult. In 1993 Stuart moved to the small hilltop village of Fayence in southern France where he would remain for the next five years working under "a glorious sun." During this time, his work took him to Italy, Corsica and back to Normandy, all the while enchanted by the light, and concentrating on the development of his limited three-color palette. In 1998, Stuart made the decision to return to the United States, where he settled in Asheville, North Carolina. The Grove Arcade Public Market commissioned Stuart to recreate the original 1920s finials that adorn the top of the building, and the City Parks and Recreation Department also commissioned him on the development of “Grove’s Vision”, a station on the city’s historical Urban Trail. He may be spotted almost anywhere, as he continues his love of capturing the landscape and developing his artistic vocabulary. WORKS IN PUBLIC PLACES The Asheville Urban Trail, one of downtown Asheville's most popular outdoor activities, allows participants to take a walk through some of Asheville's history and loveliest architecture by means of a series of outdoor sculptures at various Urban Trail stops, or "stations," throughout downtown Asheville. On December 20th., the Asheville Parks and Recreation Department dedicated yet another station on the Urban Trail, this one entitled "Grove's Vision." The ceremony took place at the corner of Battery Park and Page Avenue, the site of the new station. The new station is anchored by a unique piece of art, and is unlike any other on the Urban Trail. It is fabricated from a combination of concrete, glass and neon lighting, and is the work of glass artist Stephen McLester, sculptor Stuart Roper and faux finisher Jessie Fahrer. The artwork reflects various design elements found in the structure of the Grove Arcade itself, which is located across the street and in full view from the new station. (As an aside, the Grove Arcade is currently undergoing renovation to restore the National Historic Building to a purpose more in keeping with its original purpose, that of an indoor, downtown mall.) The artwork was funded by the family of Shirley Coxe Hazlehurst, and the bronze plaque was funded by the family of Julia and Andrew Gennett. PUBLICATIONS Click on the links below to read more about the artist in the following publications. Available at most fine book stores as well as online. Hush - Cover Artist: Stuart Roper March 2006 issue of The Laurel of Asheville Magazine www.thelaurelofasheville.com Artists' Retreat by Constance E. Richards Artists' Retreat by Constance E. Richards winter 2005 issue of PINNACLE LIVING magazine www.pinnacleliving.net Au Revoir La Belle France by Cynthia Grant spring/summer 2002 issue of CAROLINAS MAGAZINE www.spiritofthecarolinas.com Des Apalaches aux Rives de Seine par Jean-Claude Louvat L'Eure Inter Magazine Decembre, 1992 - France