Awareness: Will Rochfort

"The Launch," oil on canvas, 200 x 75 cm

Will Rochfort is an artist whom I've followed on Instragram for many years. I've loved witnessing the ins and outs of his process painting incredibly detailed and lively scenes, mainly taking inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood and the filmmaking process. Rochfort gathers his friends and family and finds vintage props to make expansive scenes, each one telling a unique narrative. He described how he "[sees] myself as the director, shaping my chosen scene until I’m happy and then using this as a groundwork to start painting," and how he concentrates "on story, composition and colour…and always seeing the paint at work when you get close." He's noted his inspiration from artists such as Norman Rockwell, whose influence is very apparent in his work. However, Rochfort's playful narratives and rich painting technique make his work stand out. Much of his work is commissioned or collected, and, according to his website, his pieces have gone to a wide array of individuals, from "Hollywood producers and the director of Star Wars to talk show hosts and several high profile figures in and around the world of film."

"The Pictures," oil on canvas, 24 x 16"

Though one of his simpler pieces, his piece "The Pictures" is one of my favorites, mainly for his use of intense contrast and color. Despite fading into complete darkness, the piece still creates a sense of spacial depth, as the figure's surroundings can be inferred. The vibrant pinks and purples as well as the fun striped textures make the piece all the more interesting to look at.

"After Hours," oil on canvas, 200 x 90cm

This piece immediately grabbed my attention, using extreme contrast alongside a simply incredible composition to form a complete narrative within one frame. It simply feels so real, as if we're just a fly on the wall looking into the lives of two old men. The detail in the room is simple incredible, and the use of brown tones and deep blacks gives the piece a Renaissance-like intrigue.

Overall, his work inspires me to think about a complete narrative within each piece. I'm endlessly impressed by how he executes each vision using his own references with just his family and friends, as I would love to be able to make a system for getting detailed references in a timely manner.