Artist, AUTHOR, Environmentalist, Innovator + Teacher

The desert of North America and beyond is a place of enduring mystery, power, and natural beauty. It is a ruse that this space of earth possesses a kind of blank canvas quality, and man is so often tricked into believing that the desert can be owned, harnessed, conquered, and taken. The winds will show such ambitiousness the truth, through veils of heavy sand –blinding, erasing, wounding, starving, and burying. For its unrelenting power, beauty, and majestic spirit, many artists have come to love, respect, and even fear the desert. This dualistic way of interacting is very much at the core of American artist Will Roger’s photographic practice.

Will is a conservationist, creator, and teacher. Having served as Chairman of Sierra Front, North Western Great Basin Resource Advisory Council, and President of the Friends of the Black Rock-High Rock, he is the sort of forward-looking artist and radical thinker you would want to know. His approach has an openness and fearlessness that we could all learn from. So, after encountering his work, it is no surprise that this man is also a cultural co-founder of Burning Man. In all of his work, Will requires of his audience openness to the power and mystery of the natural world, whether it be from a panoramic aerial perspective of the Black Rock Desert, the multi-faceted and intellectually engaging black-and-white photography, or his deeply sensual studies of flowers. There is a playful fluctuation between object, participant, viewer and voyeur.

Will began in analytical chemistry, working as a photo chemist at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Interested in finding new ways to understand the world, he would go on to earn his MFA in photography and serve as an Associate Professor of photography at RIT, working at the prestigious institute for twenty years. There, he created and taught the course, “In Search of the Mystical Image.” Today, Will is noted for his creative formal or technical approach, notably a distinctive style of stop-motion photography. Moreover, the artist’s work is well respected for a fluency of movement, certain enigmatic lyricism, and a truly esoteric quality that fascinates.

As one develops intellectually and artistically, physical movement is often the impetus for real growth. So, seeking a new space and challenge, in the early 1990s, Will decided to move to California and focus on portraiture. He would eventually become involved in the gathering of risk takers and creativity of Burning Man. The extraordinary freedom would act as catalyst for new and exciting work that seems to exist between two worlds: the surrealist photography of early twentieth century Europe and the Bacchanalian spirit of this world-renowned desert event. As well, the heroic and fantastic allure of the desert would come to be a key motif in the artist’s work, including astonishing aerial photographs.

A Fullness of Form and Emptiness

Will’s signature in-motion style gives the impression of a dancing world of loveliness, both in the erotic dancer studies or in the flower series. From Will’s erotic portraits to his images of underwater ecologies or the grandiose beauty of the desert, one experiences a fullness of form and an emptiness, allowing both balance and intrigue. Will is a creative tour de force whose luxuriously beautiful photos intersect with a sense of the analytical; critics say this is a man who makes his subject dance through light, color, and stop-motion photography. Within this movement, there is a certain freedom to the work, a place where bold color, dramatic landscapes, or charged images of sexuality merge with quiet space.

~ Rosa JH Berland, Art Historian

Exploring the Mindful World of Will Roger

Discover the captivating world of Will Roger, nestled in the serene landscapes of Gerlach, Nevada, where he finds inspiration alongside his cherished partner and muse, Crimson Rose. Renowned for his literary prowess, Will has penned two thought-provoking books, "Compass of the Ephemeral" (2019) and "A Handbook for the Burning Age" (2022),: "Compass of the Ephemeral" (2019) and "A Handbook for the Burning Age" (2022). both are odysseys of enlightenment and exploration that transcends mere literature, resonating deeply with the essence of our collective humanity. Currently, Will is crafting his third masterpiece, an anthology titled "Habitat Annihilation: Do We Change or Does The Earth Change Us?" promising to ignite dialogue and introspection on our relationship with the environment.

Beyond the written word, Will''s talents soar through the lens, capturing breathtaking aerial photography that has graced prestigious institutions such as the Renwick Gallery at The Smithsonian, Nevada Museum of Art, The Rotunda of the United States Capitol, and Sotheby's, to name a few. His work stands as a visual symphony, inviting viewers to ponder the intricate tapestry of our world. His “Daily Musings”, as seen here on this website, are feast for the senses, as Will shares mesmerizing sunsets captured from his sanctuary at Casa El Rancho. Additionally, his lens leads explorations of the surrounding vistas as seen while walking the labyrinth at Fly Ranch. As with all of Will’s photography, he provides glimpses into the profound connection between nature and the human spirit.

A sought-after speaker, Will shares his profound perspectives on environmental stewardship and urban planning with audiences far and wide. Join the journey with Will Roger, where artistry meets advocacy, and every word, every image, resonates with the echoes of a mindful existence.