Rokhaya Waring
My French mother taught me that getting out of one’s comfort zone and cultivating curiosity translated into a great education and an even more fascinating childhood- as was her own growing up in the jungles of Africa. She taught me how to draw- or how to see. As a homeschooler, daily sketching from life, reading French poetry, playing the violin, raising goats, snakes, eating exotic foods and camping across America are some of the colorful experiences that shaped the painter I am today.
Gallery
Biography
Born of a French mother and an American father, Rokhaya Waring’s dual-nationality and extensive travels have profoundly influenced her work. In 1972 after living in Florence and Paris, her parents settled in Rockport, MA to begin homeschooling their four children- eventually founding the Waring School. Favorite childhood memories are of printing on an antique letterpress, raising goats, lots of camping trips, and above all: daily drawing from life, which has not only kept memories vivid but become the foundation of her technique.
After graduating from Princeton with a BA in Art History/Visual Arts, Waring spent the summer painting in the Provencal village of Forcalquier which became her part-time home for the next twenty years. Hay rolls, sunflower, and poppy fields were some of her iconic subjects. In 2008 she moved back to Cape Ann where Gloucester and its harbor captured her heart. She has also spent time painting in Paris, Israel, Tahiti and other parts of the United States.
Waring’s love of nature, travel and Plein Air are deep-rooted. So it’s no surprise that in the spring of 2021 she and her artist husband sold their home, moved into a vintage motorhome, and along with their two whippets, headed south to find new inspiration. They now live in Western NC with its spectacular Smoky Mountain views and extended plein air season.
Waring has exhibited in over 200 solo, group, invitational and juried shows and Plein Air events in the U.S. and France and has collected numerous awards. Waring is featured in “100 Artists of New England” and “The American Flag in Contemporary Art”, (Schiffer publishing).
Upcoming Plein Air Events:
Lighthouse Plein Air: March 2026
Olmsted Plein Air: April 2026
NC Plein Air: May 2026
Plein Air Awards:
Cape Ann Plein Air 2025: Best Impressionist/Charles Shurcliff Memorial Award
North Carolina Plein Air 2025: Best of Show
Mountain Maryland 2025: Best of Show
Paint Annapolis 2024: 1st place QuickDraw
Paint Annapolis 2024: Juried Artist Excellence Award
Wayne Plein Air 2024 Dixon Ticonderoga Award
Wayne Plein Air 2024: Blick Art Award
North Carolina Plein Air 2024: Blick Art Award
Suffolk Plein Air 2024: Best Farmland
Suffolk Plein Air 2024: 3rd place QuickDraw
Blowing Rock 2024: Blowing Rock in Bloom Award
Plein Air Easton 2023: Honorable Mention, QuickDraw
Augusta Plein Air 2023: Judge’s Choice Award
Augusta Plein Air 2023: Sponsor’s Choice Award
Cape Ann Plein Air 2022: 3rd place QuickDraw
Southport Plein Air 2022: 1st place – Mayor’s Choice Award
Parrsboro Plein Air 2019: Honorable Mention, QuickDraw
Memberships:
Oil Painters of America
American Impressionist Society
North Shore Arts Association
Rocky Neck Art Colony
Copley Society of Boston
Galleries:
Arnould Gallery, Marblehead MA
Blue Heron Gallery, Wellfleet MA
Charles Fine Arts, Gloucester MA
Gallery Augusta, Augusta MO
Artist Statement
I carry a sketchbook everywhere I go which keeps me loose and ready to jot down the seeds for larger works. I’m drawn to color and pattern, such as boats in a harbor, fields of flowers, or moving clouds. Rather than a single focal point I often try to depict intangibles such as atmosphere, harmony, and movement. But it’s about more than just good design. I feel it’s important to fall in love with one’s subject. A painter should reveal to the viewer something that is connected to them, even if small or simple.
Waring has exhibited in over 200 solo, invitational and juried shows and Plein Air events in the U.S. and France. In 2025 she garnered Best of Show awards at both North Carolina Plein Air Festival and at Mountain Maryland Plein Air.