"If you've ever been to Africa, you are not likely to forget the experience," says wildlife artist Julia Rogers. And if you've never been to Africa, looking at a Rogers painting can almost make you homesick for places you've never seen. You can almost feel the heat, the sand and the beauty of the landscape.

Being an artist and painting nature was inevitable. Growing up on the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern shore of Maryland has had a strong influence on Julia since childhood. Her mother, an artist, and her father, a sportsman and wildlife enthusiast, it's not surprising that she began drawing landscapes and animals at a very young age. She excelled in art in school and was placed in college as a fine art major before graduating from high school. She was advised, like most art students, to study and work as a commercial artist. "A decision to leave the security of a regular paycheck to paint full-time was not easy but was the best thing I ever did."

A Vantage Point - Cheetahs by wildlife artist Julia Rogers	Ambush - Zebras and Lion by wildlife artist Julia Rogers	Bush Fire - Elephant by wildlife artist Julia Rogers
Fringes of Freedom - Lions by wildlife artist Julia Rogers	Leopard Descent by wildlife artist Julia Rogers	Splash of Pink - Flamingos and Zebras by artist Julia Rogers
Sundowner - Elephants by wildlife artist Julia Rogers