a north country view

oil paintings and prints of the backcountry, roy stever

Appalachian Mountain Club | Highland Center NH

August 2 - November 1

Landscape artist, Roy Stever, captures the bold, sometimes unforgiving, reality of time spent in the backcountry of New Hampshire and Maine.  His studio, Art from the Headwaters, is dedicated to preserving those moments of both joy and trepidation - from the valley floor, across frigid cascades, along exposed ridges, and on to the summits. He has climbed to the top of all 4000’ peaks in New England, many times for a fourth or fifth look.  His paintings are based solely on the experience of “being there”, his own photos and sketches, and his memory.

Roy works in oils with a distinctive palette-knife mark, mixing strong color, pushing tonal variation, all enhanced by impasto relief.  Attention to color shapes for compositional structure, a sense of light, and the search for mood distinguishes his paintings as following in an impressionist style.  Roy paints at his home in Easton, NH and frequents Monhegan Island, Acadia National Park and the rocky coast of Maine for plein air excursions with a small group of intrepid artists.

Roy joined the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) in the 1960’s, with a recommendation from noted adventurer Chris Goetze, both having grown up in Randolph NH.  Before becoming artist, he pursued a career in industry and innovation, later engaging Plymouth State University students in experiential business learning, and he has only recently turned to oil painting.  As an undergraduate at Cornell University, in 1971, Roy conducted an independent study of backcountry overuse in the White Mountains with AMC’s help.  In the late 1970’s, Roy received an urgent request from Brad Washburn, long-time Director of the Boston museum of Science, to run a laser reflector up the Valley Way to the top of Mt. Madison early the next morning.  This was to support a collaboration between the Museum and AMC to produce a high quality map of the Presidential Range.  Roy’s job was to place the receiver for a laser shot from the summit of Mt. Washington to determine distance and, ultimately, elevation.  More recently, in 2013-2015, Roy connected the Easton (NH) Conservation Commission with AMC in mitigating potential impacts of a proposed power transmission project.  

Roy and his wife Debbie have both experienced a lifetime of wonders within AMC’s trail and hut system.  Now in their 70’s, the two have enjoyed visits to Little Lyford with their canine family, as well as Gorman Chairback.  From his grandparents to his six grandchildren, Roy’s family has enjoyed five generations of AMC.  His daughter Natalie, like many others, had a great early-career experience working for the Club.

In collaboration with Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing in Portsmouth, NH, Roy is thrilled to share his art with AMC, its members, and friends throughout the North Country!