Gallery Fifty Six

Rollin Kocsis
The process of making art is central to my life; it is my passion. It seems I have always had a desire to paint, draw, or create some other type of visual art. I love the process and the product of art. Creating art provides me with challenges that involve the skills I have learned over the years.
Before you can understand how I make art, I would like to share a quote by Canadian painter Lawren Harris. He said, "Paintings come out of themselves." I truly believe this and it is how I approach my work. Most of my paintings are spontaneous and they simply evolve from the process of painting. I like to work in layers. Usually, the first thing I do is select a color scheme for the work I am about to complete (complimentary, analogous, split-compliment, triads, etc.). As I push paint around, if I don't have a subject in mind, I'm thinking of one. Many times the paint spread on the canvas gives me ideas. It is like when you see images in the clouds. As the painting develops, I get more detailed in my work, using smaller brushes and more precise strokes.
My goal as a painter is twofold: to enjoy what I am doing and to make something that someone else will enjoy. What is art without an audience? Art is to be shared. I hope my paintings bring something of value to those who view my work.

Rollin Kocsis was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana where he attended school and majored in art. He graduated in 1966. He attended Indiana University in Bloomington and graduated with honors in 1970 with a B. S. in art education. That same year he moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he worked as an opera set designer's assistant for one year.
In 1971, Rollin Kocsis began his teaching career with the Memphis City Schools as an art instructor. He currently teaches the visual arts at Westwood High School, and he has taught a total of 37 years.
Rollin holds two advanced degrees in the arts. He earned a Masters of Teaching in Art Education in 1977, and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting in 1991 from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).
In his long artistic career, Rollin Kocsis has exhibited in juried exhibitions, and has shown his work in group and solo shows throughout the United States. He has won a number of local, regional, and national awards. Rollin is a member of the international arts organization The Energy Art Movement.