'Behind the Brush' Artist Interview - Ludolf Grollé de Rôchefort

Welcome to the 'Behind the Brush' Artist Interview Series

Member Artist: Ludolf Grollé de Rôchefort (rochefort.gather.com)

Member Since: March 16, 2006

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Can you tell us a little about your philosophy or approach towards your art?

Gladly. Painting is a always a new discovery for me. An intense emotion prevails, a strong connection with a time or place that I strive to consistently re-create on canvass or paper. Memory, smells, and music play a significant part in honing all the information until the most dramatic gestures and intense colours remain. I do not wish to clone or recreate nature or humanity, merely to use it as a progressive base. Painting is the most comfortable medium to express my sentiment as it allows me to express myself freely; my emotions are expressed in the colours and shapes that I use; and how and where they are placed on the page. My paintings represent a glimpse of time and are symbolic of many of the things that influence and inspire humanity. The interest, encouragement and support I have enjoyed so far makes my work even more gratifying.

Now how about a little on yourself?

I am 53 Years old and was born on the 29th of June 1953, to Veronica-Jean [daughter of a soldier] who worked for the BBC World Service as a radio announcer, and Karel half-dutch and half –french, of Huguenot descent.

A Cancerian – thus quite a sensitive soul – for those who go by the zodiac.

My mother had 2 children when she was widowed – then she married my father.

I was the youngest child in our household, my sister and brother being some 7 and 5 years older, respectively. We traveled a great amount, when I was younger, and I saw much of the world. By the age of three I had seen 3 continents, 1 insurrection, 1 war, [ the Suez war ] and the Pyramids.

My parents divorced when I was 6 years old, and I was extremely close to my mother.

My father died in 1997, and my mother died in 1999. My guardian and godfather was most responsible for my education and bringing a lot of varied aspects of the Arts, Language, Science and Nature into my life. My mother took responsibility for etiquette, protocol and decorum – thus making me somewhat of the “metero” people perceive.

When did you first become aware that you had artistic talent?

It was quite an epiphany really – I attended Emanuel School in London, a boys public school – at that time – and a training ground for officer cadets. Emanuel was quite a culture shock after having gone through a primary education primarily based on the Montessori system, in Holland. At Emanuel I had an Art teacher called Ian Colverson – who become a sort of mentor and sponsor. Ian now lives in Yorkshire after a career in Fine Arts and being renowned as one of the foremost Print-Makers in the world having taught at UCLA and Bradford, and being accepted by the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Tate in London. Ian wrote to my mother in after my first year at school and said that I was “a natural talent and a born painter” – I will always remember that.

I always loved to paint and draw, and my first job at Chase in London was given to me because of my ability to express information in colour. This was all prior to PC’s and Excel and Powerpoint. This somewhat endorsed something that lay dormant in me – due to the more logical obligations of having to make a living and support myself and my dependents I did not take a job in the Arts but decided to follow a rather a more conventional career path.

Aged 50, my children grown up, my parents no longer and my marriage non-existent I decided to follow my dream. I moved to Canada and retired to paint full time. I had always kept my hand in by attending night school, sketching and painting whenever there was free-time.

However “When did you first become aware that you had artistic talent?”, you probably won’t believe this but it was actually this last week after New York.

People had always told me I was talented but there always seemed to be some insecurity within myself and a doubt. Then all of a sudden some twists of fate came into play.

A dealer who only manages established artists – and never bothers with new faces – somehow saw my work through a connection – and said I was extremely talented but need some more recognition, marketing, publicity and further branding. Now this “epiphany”, or rather what led to it – all took place in the same 10 day period.

I had gone to New York to market myself – after three years of living in Canada – while in New York, a new Canadian and North America wide Magazine called me up and told me they would like to do a feature on me and would like examples of some of my work and an interview etcetera.

Just before leaving for New York I sold 20 pieces of work, 10 to a bank, 5 to a corporation and 5 to someone here on Gather.

The trip to New York was fairly successful – but marketing my art was not the prime reason for my visit there – however I did get a referral from 2 Galleries, found an Agent in the form of a person here on Gather who actually works in that environment and has a lot to do with museum and was offered and exhibition on Broadway later this year.

On returning form New York - having visited and viewed some renowned work and some local emerging and established artists work – I realized that my “stuff” wasn’t half bad.

Furthermore on my return – the Winnipeg Art Gallery informed me that they would like me to present 20 of my pieces to a panel for judging, and that they were considering my work for Corporate Rental; then to top it all I get this little communication from you – so there you have it.

All of these recent events really made me much more positive about being able to establish myself as an Artist.

Do you remember the first thing you made, or your first work of art?

Yes, and I recently saw it, my mother had saved it. I was about 4 years old – there are 2 pieces. Ironically they were both abstract – yet easy to interpret. I wish I could find them, I know they’re in the house somewhere.

What art mediums do you typically use?

As a surface I like pre-stretched canvass, usually Gothrick or Windsor and Newton with a ¾-2 inch deep edge, and usually about at least 20 inches wide and at least 30 inches long. Most of my work recently has been 30x36 on this type of surface.

I also love using Arches, W&N, or Fabriano Paper 22x30 and of 140lb rough or cold press.

I use acrylic on the Canvass and sometimes on the paper, however I also use oil-bars on the paper.

Do you have a favorite medium?

Just plain old Acrylic Paint – usually Liquitex or Galleria.

Is there some painting, or other form of art you would like to try, but haven't attempted yet?

Lithography in the manner of Lautrec.

In the early days of lithography, a smooth piece of limestone was used (hence the name "lithography"—"lithos" is the ancient Greek word for stone). After the oil-based image was put on the surface, acid burned the image onto the surface; gum arabic, a water soluble solution, was then applied, sticking only to the non-oily surface and sealing it. During printing, water adhered to the gum arabic surfaces and avoided the oily parts, while the oily ink used for printing did the opposite.

Within a few years of its invention, the lithographic process was used to create multi-color printed images, using a new process developed by Godefroy Engelmann (France) in 1837 known as Chromolithography. A separate stone was used for each colour, and a print went through the press separately for each stone. The main challenge was of course to keep the images aligned (in register). This method lent itself to images consisting of large areas of flat color, and led to the characteristic poster designs of this period.

Also, Digital Art and a fusion of both.

Do you have a particular piece you have created that is very special to you, and why?

Yes it is a Conte Sienna Pastel sketch of my son when he was 2 years old.

What, or whom influences your work, or inspires you?

My family, friends and environment and my day to day experiences.

Artists I admire immensely are the impressionists and a lot of the Abstract Expressionists. I adore Cezanne, Lautrec – especially his sketches, likewise with Modigliani. I love Constantin Brancussi sculpture, as well as Henri Moore and Giacometti.

From where, or what, do you get your ideas?

Again from my day to day experiences but also from other works of art, both visual and otherwise.

Leonardo da Vinci is a great source and looking at science and how it can be expressed visually and through colour is fantastic. Somewhat like Paul Klee’s theory of the inter-relativity of Music and Paint.

The interchanges and relationships with many on Gather and in the real world and how they apply their art plays a pivotal role in providing me with ideas for my work. So thank you.

Do you have a process you follow for your work?

Oh yes!! The environment has to be right and everything needs to be in its place before I start.

Do you have a ritual when you paint or create, or some quirky thing you do to get you in the right mindset?

I play great music and usually quite loudly.

Where physically do you create, or where do you do your best work?

Firstly.. in my mind, and then on paper.

Sometimes the actual bears no resemblance to the draft, nonetheless I feel it is still valid.

Is there something that frustrates you or impedes your ability in some way?

A knock on the door, or telephone ringing totally ruins my focus.

How often do you work on your art, and how much time do you spend?

Everyday – and as much as I can. I could do this everyday 24/7.

What other interests do you have outside of painting?

My friends and Family, the Lodge, Chess, Backgammon, Poker and of course my dogs…ohhh and cooking..I am an excellent cook.

If you were to choose one word to describe you as an artist, what would it be, and why?

Sensitive, or Intense

Sensitive: as a person and toward others and how the work might be perceived, also in the construction of the work and the placement of colour and how it all balances.

Intense: as nothing should be mediocre, it tends to be all extremes – so I am told.

Is there something in your life that you are the most proud of?

I learnt to swim late – at maybe 9 or 10 and once in Spain aged 22/23 there was a little boy of 5 maybe 6 [an autistic child] left to play in the paddling pool by his mother.

The little boy had wondered over to the “large/deep” pool and was paddling there. No one else seemed to have noticed. I was reading, and when I looked up the little boy was no longer sitting there. For some reason I jumped up ran to the pool side and saw him lying at the bottom of the pool. I jumped in, and retrieved his limp body and put him at pool side, gave him mouth to mouth and managed to resuscitate him. I was a hero for a little while.

I am proud of that as he would have surely lain there long enough for some serious damage to have occurred, but what amazes me more is this instinct I have for events that may happen or for things where somehow it just doesn’t “gel” for some reason. I’m proud I have a darn good nose, and that in later life I choose to be ruled by my heart [ with some referral to my head], and my enormously good nose!!

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out, or someone that may want to try their hand at creating something for the first time?

Just do it!

What would you like to accomplish in the next 5 years, as it relates to your art and talent?

To be successful enough to survive for the next five years.

Has your participation on Gather helped you, or influenced your work in some way?

Somewhat, in as much as I can now show my work to another audience.

I have sold to some 10 or so people on Gather and sent out more than 50 pieces of my work to various members of the Gather community – as competition winners.

Gather has also helped me to adjust my perception and philosophy as to how to go about marketing myself as most people are thankful for receiving some of my work – then there are some you never hear from again or who do not even deign to thank you.

Recently in New York I took pieces of my work as gifts, in beautiful silver frames for the “pre-Sims” – they seemed to be well received and this experience provides an Evangelical type of Audience and provides one with referenceable clients. Much of the feedback indicates how much better in real life the pieces look, than just on-line.

The way it has influenced, not just my work but, my approach is that I am now extremely careful as to where and to whom I send “give-aways”.

Could you talk about your latest series of paintings and what you are trying to achieve with them?

I am currently preparing for a Summer Show and will try to use a livelier set of colours and this time on Large Canvasses.

I am trying to further penetrate the United States and Global Corporate Markets with these pieces – the studies for these pieces will allow me to provide originals to the general public at reasonable and affordable prices.

I am also making smaller [2x3, 3x3, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10] type pieces pre-framed for easy dispatch to far away admirers of the work- making original art more accessible.

How can someone purchase your work, or see other pieces in your collection?

They can go to a Gallery where my work is showing such as the Wayne Arthur Gallery in the French speaking part of Manitoba, or Gallery Lacosse in the English speaking part. Also, by the end of this year there should be more of my work in Corporate Collections – and until I get a museum offer, people can go to my web-site www.LudolfGrolle.com or www.artabus.com/Rochefort to see my work; alternatively they can just “Google” Ludolf Grolle and hit the images tab to find links, there are more than a thousand cross-references on the web and some 500 images on display. Alternatively they can contact me for a disc or catalogue of my work- or just buy a piece.

Now and then I do post a series on Gather.

Do you have any exhibits coming up?

I am waiting on 2 places in New York for information as to Real World exhibits.

Gallery Lacosse had one planned for this year sometime – a joint exhibit with Terry Lacosse himself and Jim Corbett [ probably one of the greatest artists alive in Manitoba today [imho].

A permanent on-line exhibit of my work on the Saatchi and Saatchi website under my name.

A permanent on-line exhibit at www.LudolfGrolle.com and a Magazine Feature exhibit for Magnum Opus a Canada Wide distributed magazine.

I also plan to launch another 2 exhibits later this year – one for the Humane Society / Animal Services and an Independent show.

Have you had any recent accomplishments or recognition for you work that you wish to share?

In 2006, I contributed some 10 pieces of work to the Winnipeg Humane Society and also to Cancer Care Manitoba. Charitable donations exceeded some $10,000.

In 2006, I was featured in the local press – Times, Herald, Lance, and Metro; as well as Style Manitoba.

Late 2006 the founder of the pre-Simulationist movement* asked me to become a co-founder, as the only male visual Artist among half a dozen writers, poets, and playwrights; responsible for visual direction.

*A vanguard group of prescient artists, poets, and writers who are finding new ways to surpass the exhausted postmodern epoch and its false constructions of language and thought. pre-Simulationists look to the future and the sim worlds that will soon immerse humankind, examining what sort of consciousness might emerge when full simulation takes place. We do not reject science nor scoff at the usefulness or importance of its knowledge because of nihilistic arguments derived from Goedel's Theorem. In this age of neural and genetic discovery we explore new subjective approaches to creativity and the place of art in the world, searching beyond language for the workings of our feelings and experience of sentience. pre-Sims draw inspiration for our creative works and other artists' creations not only in the semiotics of cultural simulations, but also charting maps of awareness of the inner mind, awake or dreaming. The founding members are John F. Walter, Edward Nudelman, William K Evans IV, Alexander Leverenze, Ludolf Grolle de Rochefort, and Laura Stuart Mercer. www.presimulationism.com

In April 2007 I secured representation in the French Quarter of Winnipeg, Saint Boniface, with the Wayne Arthur Gallery, currently run by Wayne Arthur’s widow Bev Morton.

I am currently represented by Gallery Lacosse and the Wayne Arthur Gallery in Winnipeg and seeking representation further afield in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and the USA, where most of my on-line clients reside.

In January 2007 I became a Supporting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.

In March 2007, I met with the Director of Winnipeg Art Gallery – in charge of their Art Rental area; Ms.Joanne McGregor, who asked for some 20 pieces for submission in May 2007.

In March 2007 I sold some 10 pieces of work to employees of MTS – large Winnipeg company, And a Series of 5 paintings to a private collector in Los Angeles.

In late April 2007,I visited New York with a view to gaining some wider representation and a broader perspective on my work. In New York I met with the Artist Jamali, received two referrals for Galleries, presented my work to the Toledo Gallery on Madison and 27th for review, and was offered a small show with a Gallery on Broadway and 116th.

In May 2007 I received an offer from a new Canada Wide Arts Magazine called Magnum Opus to participate in their publication with a feature article.

What's next for you as an artist?

Hopefully a lot more painting, a lot more sales, a little positive notoriety and a lot of luck and love.

Thank you Ludolf for a most insighful interview!

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