Mac Rogers
Iconic Beaufort Christmas Cards
story by MEGAN THIBAULT MORRIS photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
Mac Rogers is a local artist known for his exquisite Lowcountry landscapes, portraying natural beauty and iconic imagery.
With the stroke of a brush, Mac’s paintings preserve the best of Beaufort, and his following is growing. In addition to timeless framed work, Mac found a niche by creating an annual Christmas card, which is anticipated each year for its exclusive release. The cards feature his work, where holiday themes comingle with Beaufort traditions.
This year, he created a Christmas card to honor the local bases and servicemembers titled “A Santa Salute to Our Military.” The scene depicts Santa and his sleigh in the nighttime sky, escorted by F-35 jets with the Beaufort landscape underneath. On the back of the card, he labeled landmarks of Beaufort’s three important military installations – Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Marine Corps Air Station, and Naval Hospital.
“Each year, I give much thought to creating a new Christmas scene, and thanks to an idea from a friend and retired Colonel this summer, I immediately began working on the design to incorporate the military presence our community is so proud of,” says Mac. “I love Christmastime in Beaufort and support our military to the fullest, so this inspired me.”
Though it is impossible for Mac to pick a favorite, he describes all the themes with great fondness. One year, he depicted “Night on the Town,” a beloved local Christmas celebration on Bay Street, filling the scene of patrons with his friends and family. Another year, which he refers to as the “Fantasyland” card, Mac embellished his realistic approach with Santa in a shrimp boat, flying through the sky with dolphins instead of reindeer, pulling him through the night.
The 2022 Christmas card, now Mac’s twelfth in as many years, is available at Thibault Gallery, where Mac’s work is on display. In the heart of downtown, the gallery on Bay Street is an ideal location for his artistry.
“Mac is an incredible artist and an even better person. He loves this town and its people. He loves God and serves the community in every way he can,” says Eric and Mary Thibault, owners of the gallery. “His annual Christmas card design creates a festive buzz and is extremely popular with shoppers.”
Mac’s journey as an artist, leading him to this point in his second career, is a fascinating story. He enjoys his retirement from Delta as an airline pilot and is filling his days with his love of art and the Lowcountry. Originally from Orangeburg, his family vacationed at Edisto during his childhood, feeding his love for the marshes, waterways, beaches, and bridges. He and his wife, Melanie, of fifty-two years, who he touts for all her support, had their first home in Beaufort at Harbor Island in 1989. They began living here full-time in 2004.
Primarily self-taught, Mac attributes mentorship and guidance from many other artists, including Jim Harrison, who was Mac’s football coach before becoming a well-known artist himself. Says Mac about Jim, “I was so inspired by his realistic paintings but could not afford his work, so I decided to learn his style of painting and emulate his art.”
He was also paired with a pilot who had a love for watercolor, and for many years, his love of flying and painting coexisted. Then, as an anniversary gift, Melanie gave him access to classes at the Art Institute of Atlanta. Couple that with the images of shrimp boats in St. Helena Sound during their vacations at Harbor Island and the rest is history.
To see Mac’s work and get a coveted Christmas card, visit the Thibault Gallery, where he has shown his work since 2016. Some may remember Mac from his long-time display at Fordham Market before it closed. This year, on Friday, December 2, all are invited to meet Mac at the gallery, where he will be one of the hundreds enjoying Beaufort’s “Night on the Town,” one of the many scenes he recreated for this annual tradition.
