Roger D. Brecka was born in Alberta in 1961. He became interested in art landscapes through his field trips in the country sides of Central Alberta where his Mom would paint and he would explore. Being paid a nickel to identify the artist and the title of the prints in the Brecka household also was an incentive to learn the subject at an early age.Growing up in the Edmonton area, he attended the University of Alberta in 1979 attaining a BA primarily in Economics. It is in Edmonton’s river valley at the Middle Earth Gallery that he met Con Boland and learned to appreciate photography as an art form. Roger took classes and seminars from Con Boland and made numerous personal visits in between his university studies, music ensembles and aquatic interests.
In 1982, Roger moved to southern Alberta where he attended the University of Lethbridge attaining another degree in Management (Finance-Personnel). Spending his time photographing the Picture Butte - Carmangay area with his Uncle led to a series of photographs. This collection, titled Scenes of Southern Alberta, was shown in the fall of 1989 in his hometown of Wetaskiwin.
Since 1985, Roger has mixed his job occupation with his photography. He moved to Victoria from Edmonton in 1987 to learn more about art while studying Risk Management through the University of Toronto Continuing Studies Program and working in aquatics. Having traveled to Port Hardy and photographed landscapes of Northern Vancouver Island and the West Coast areas of Tofino and Ucluelet, Roger has been to the Carmanah Valley twice and made numerous visits to the Jordan River - Port Renfrew areas. A short ferry ride from Victoria is Saltspring Island which is one of Roger’s favorite Christmas retreats to photograph.
Returning back to Victoria and the West Coast from the North Shore of Quebec in the fall of 1990, Roger hiked more of the West Coast and pursued his artistic endeavors. The Spring of 1991 saw Roger miss the North Shore of Quebec so much that he went back to the Baie Comeau - Sept Iles area. Wanting to continue to learn more of the culture and language allowed him to travel all along the St. Lawrence from Quebec City north to the end of Highway 138 at Havre St. Pierre, home of the Mingan Islands.
Visiting other galleries, reading, and learning from other artists from the East in Sept Iles, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto in the fall of 1992 encouraged Roger to continue his photography. Being self-taught with influences such as Galen Rowell , Freeman Paterson, and Jousuf Karsh, Roger also appreciates the Old Masters and saw many pieces by them in Europe in January and February of 2015.
Joseph M. Turner, whose use of light and relative shapes has helped Roger to open his eyes and capture many images. The Quebecois artist, Micheal Pleau, is also one of his favorites. Gustave Courbet is another he admires and visited his region in Ornans France in February 2015 learning more about landscapes. And finally, Alfred Stieglitz who also had the good fortune to have Georgia O’Keefe as a very close companion and colleague for many years.
Returning to the West in 1992, Roger’s photographs have been sold to all the provinces in Canada except for a few Maritime Provinces. In the fall of 1993, Roger also had the honour of working for Mr. Con Boland at the Middle Earth Gallery in Edmonton. Working in Western Canada and developing his sense of light and composition has been very rewarding for him and his patrons.
Roger is continuing his art education and has his work in different galleries throughout Canada. In the Spring of 1999, he did a major tour of Colorado finding intriguing landscapes and perhaps where he would like to expand his talents.
In the fall of 2001, he spent time in Montreal with artists and photographers while learning more for his art ambitions. 2003 his art was exhibited at the Fran Willis Gallery in Victoria. 2004 meant trips to Ottawa and Newfoundland adding to his Canadian Portfolio.
Roger is glad to be working in risk management, safety and finance in Western Canada launching from his home in the Comox Valley. He will continue to use his dynamic skills to be both artistically vibrant learning more and venturing out to wherever life leads him for whatever purpose seems to suit his lifestyle.
With time, his adventurous spirit, outgoing lifestyle and continued travels from his new home in the Comox Valley will hopefully mean the future looks bright to achieve a larger clientele for his art in Canada, the U.S. and around the world.
His ambition of continuous learning and education on photography as an art form goes forward into 2016 with the release of his blog in March 2014 and a major trip to galleries In Europe in 2015. But the main focus was, is and always will be to learn about light from his own “backyard” in the Comox Valley or on the prairies, mountains and oceans of our great country.
Celebrating on his own or with others in his quest for creative composition of our Canadian Surroundings continues into 2016. This newest accomplishment of owning a home with his gallery in it, combined with his love of life and a dynamic lifestyle, is what he has always dreamed of.
If you are visiting the Comox Valley and want to see some of Roger's work, have a photography assignment possibly for him to consider, or simply want to chat over a beverage of your choice, contact Roger for more information at rdb_photography@hotmail.com
Thank you!