next up for the q & a series is atlanta artist rana rochat. hidell brooks has been exhibiting rana’s encaustic work for years and we are super excited for her solo exhibition in july. the show will include new works on paper and panel. rana works exclusively in encaustic meaning she uses pigments mixed with hot wax that are burned in as an inlay. the color and depth achieved in her work transport the viewer into another realm. order amidst chaos in rana’s work results in a sense of overall calm, soothing effect. just what we all need right now.
inside rana rochat’s atlanta studio
untitled 769a 2020, encaustic on panel, 48 x 42 inches
rana rochat received her bfa from the rhode island school of design. she has exhibited throughout canada and the united states and her work can be found in numerous public and private collections including bureau of cultural affairs, ga, hyatt hotels, dc, peninsula shanghai hotel, china, saks fifth Avenue, fl, nordstrom and cenovus energy, calgary, to name a few. working in the encaustic medium, rana rochat’s paintings aim to capture the delicate balance between order and chaos, reason and spontaneity. these earthy encaustic paintings result from this search and take place within the richly layered surfaces of vividly colored wax and transparent layers. the sense of depth is built into the encaustic paintings through the gradual addition of forms and textures. swirls, lines, and drips are formed within the luminous layers of each painting. while appearing natural and familiar, they are at the same time non-specific, refusing to adhere to just a single meaning for viewers. the freedom in the shapes allows viewers to get lost in thought and generate their own meaning from the artwork.
rana rochat
“my idea is that too explicit narratives tend to overshadow intuition, gut feelings and the profound experience of mystery and joy that a painting has the potential to provide. my forms and marks, with their apparent weight, particular vitality, and inertia live in an environment i try to render luminous and transparent. i inscribe, blot, stroke, scrape and drip. the primary focus is to convey rhythm and cadence through color, line, and forms. as such, they are purely expressive or lyrical, with no other intended narration. my paintings are there for viewers to run their mind free.
my most recent paintings are moving toward a desire for increased openness, letting color and space within the piece play a more prominent role in achieving a balanced and lively visual environment, where forms, line and marks coexist. my focus is on the complex relationship between forms, marks, color and depth; how they interact to form and balance the painting. the encaustic medium involves a lot of scraping through multiple layers of wax. the final product is what remains, getting to the essence of the piece.”
untitled 568 2020, encaustic on paper, 38 x 32 inches
give us a bit of your backstory and what does the process of making art mean to you?
i was turned on by art making as a youngster. i loved everything about it, creating an image or an object, the materials available to facilitate the creation (art stores are where i go for fun), the discovery and exploration of unconventional materials , the process involved in different mediums, and finally ending up with an object or an image. i continue to be excited to hop out of bed and zoom over to my studio every day. it’s not that i am disciplined or have a strong work ethic , it’s just where i am happiest. not to say some days aren’t difficult, because they are. i have plenty of days where i struggle to resolve a piece and it’s exhausting
works on paper hanging on the studio wall
untitled 567 2020, encaustic on paper, 38 x 32 inches
what are your go to materials?
my materials are mostly molten wax and pigment on either heavyweight paper or wood panels. and, occasionally , i paint with oils.
inside the studio
untitled 389 2020, encaustic on paper, 57 1/2 x 51 1/2 inches framed
untitled 279 2020, encaustic on panel, 46 x 38 inches
what is a typical studio like for you?
i usually get to my studio by 9 and stay until 4 or 5.
untitled 278 2020, encaustic on paper, 30 x 27 inches framed
untitled 566a 2020, encaustic on paper, 27 x 22 inches
what led you down the path of creativity and how have you developed your visual voice over the years?
i can’t think of one event that led me to painting. as long as I can remember, i have always had the urge to create something. finding my voice or language has happened organically over many many years. in art school, my final degree project was a series of intaglio (etchings) focusing on abstracted forms in illusory spaces. i have never really been interested in realism .
untitled 671 2020, encaustic on panel, 48 x 42 inches
untitled 456 2020, encaustic on paper, 57 1/2 x 51 1/2 inches framed
untitled 588 2020, encaustic on panel, 54 x 48 inches
all available work by rana rochat can be viewed on our website under the artist page under her individual tab. click on the rana’s name to bring up all work with sizing and pricing. please call the gallery if you have any further questions.