Art has always been a part of Roger Shule’s life. Raised in the farming community of Clifton Illinois, he remembers spending hours drawing and coloring with a neighborhood friend. Roger continued to grow his skills by working on sets and posters for his high school drama club, and the first painting he sold was purchased by his history teacher. Inspired by the work of Jackson Pollack, it was an abstract expression piece consisting of splattered and swirled enamel paint on a piece of wooden wall paneling. Soon one day Roger’s father came home and told him that a neighbor needed his name painted on a truck. Thus began Roger’s lifelong association with calligraphy and signage.
Roger’s focus for the last several years has been “little images that make a big statement.” What started out as the concept for a “Small Works” exhibit at the AFAF Gallery has become an extensive body of over 300 bold “matchbook” paintings based on familiar imagery from the public domain. His larger than life 3-dimensional acrylic matchbooks offer viewers a uniquely nostalgic journey of vintage and contemporary music, film and product advertising imagery. Roger’s hope is that you have as much fun on the journey as he did painting it.
Roger has exhibited throughout the Lake County area, including in the Anderson Center in Kenosha, CLC Gallery in Grayslake, Norris Gallery in St. Charles, the Campbell House Gallery in Geneva, Charlene’s Gallery 10 in Door County, WI as well as shows in Waukegan, Gurnee, Lake Villa, Fox Lake and of course Antioch. Roger is one of AFAF’s original founding members.