Roelof Rossouw, 1957 | Romantic Impressionist painter

Roelof Rossouw was born and grew up in Benoni, near Johannesburg. As a child he had a passion for comic heroes like Tarzan, Cisco Kid, Flash Gordon and Tintin which, with the artists of the sixties, inspired him to draw his own comics. Already at the age of fourteen Roelof started making oil paintings of landscapes and portraits.

When he was seventeen, a European art tour opened the doors for his vision to pursue art and travel. He gained a National Diploma in Arts and Design at Wits Technicon that taught him the value of training and not only relying on his raw talent.

In April 1882, whilst working for Medusa as a graphic artist and medical illustrator, he discovered modern impressionistic artists such as Ken Howard, Bernard Dunstan, Max Agostini and admired their loose style in painting.

Twenty years later, with the inspiration of other artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Sorolla, Pierneef and Hugo Naudé to name a few, Rossouw succeeded to move away from the tight style of a graphic artist to the painterly, loose style of impressionism, adding his masterly use of light and shade.

Rossouw has since established himself as one of South Africa’s foremost impressionist painters and has many solo exhibitions and awards both locally and abroad credited to his name. In 2014 he received the first, second and third prize in the American Art Awards for Human Impressionism.

A painter of figures, city and landscapes, street scenes, parks, gardens, marine and architecture. Works mainly in oils, but also in collage, acrylic, pastel and mixed medium.

Rossouw has traveled widely visiting France, Brussels, Spain, Istanbul, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Austria, Holland, Egypt, Dubai, Israel, England, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Zanzibar, and The Caribbean

1979-1981: Studied at the Johannesburg School of Art gaining a National Diploma in Art and Design;

1982-1990: Employed by the Medical University of Southern Africa as graphic artist and medical illustrator;

1992: Started painting seriously on a daily basis;

2001: Moved to Robertson, Western Cape Province.

Awards

First place tie in 2019 in the category: HUMAN Impressionism;

First place in 2020 in the category: Still Life (interior);

First prize - Front Cover Competition for Eric Bolsmann's book on Pretoria;

First, second and third place in the 2014 American Art Awards: Category Human Impressionism.

Roelof Rossouw è nato e cresciuto a Benoni, vicino a Johannesburg.

Ha iniziato a disegnare aerei all'età di quattro anni e ha dipinto il suo primo olio all'età di quattordici anni. Un pittore di figure, città e paesaggi, scene di strada, parchi, giardini, marine e architettura.

Lavora principalmente ad olio, ma anche in collage, acrilico, pastello e medium misto. Rossouw ha viaggiato molto visitando Francia, Bruxelles, Spagna, Istanbul, Ucraina, Grecia, Italia, Austria, Olanda, Egitto, Dubai, Israele, Inghilterra, Scozia, Irlanda, Stati Uniti, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Zanzibar e Caraibi.

1979-1981: studi presso la Johannesburg School of Art conseguendo un diploma nazionale in arte e design;

1982-1990: Impiegato presso la Medical University of Southern Africa come artista grafico e illustratore medico 1992: Inizia a dipingere seriamente ogni giorno;

2001: si trasferisce a Robertson, nella provincia del Capo Occidentale.

Premi

Primo posto nel 2019 nella categoria: Impressionismo Umano;

Primo posto nel 2020 nella categoria: Still Life (interni);

Primo premio - Concorso di copertina per il libro di Eric Bolsmann su Pretoria;

Primo, secondo e terzo posto agli American Art Awards 2014: categoria Impressionismo Umano.