Rokoff Studio holds a weekly free live painting event every Friday at 75-5744 Ali'i Drive, Suite 57 in Kailua-Kona.
Alexander Rokoff, a contemporary figurative painter who has apprenticed in Norway and France, has had his work featured in various locations, including Beverly Hills, New York City, Paris, Santa Fe, Taos, and Central and South America. Some of his art, according to Rokoff Studio, has appeared in John Carpenter's film "Vampires" and in two TV series: "Portlandia" and "Grimm."
“Join us for a free live painting event!” Rokoff Studio said on its website. “Every Friday Alexander will be painting live at our gallery. If we are having beautiful Hawaii weather, Alexander will paint the sunset, and if we have rain, Alexander will paint in the studio. Either way, you will see an original oil painting come to life. The event is free and there's no need to RSVP; just show up and watch the show!”
Rokoff relocated his studio from Portland, Oregon, to the Big Island shortly after his visit in 2014.
“He was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he worked under various artists and became fluent in multiple two- and three-dimensional disciplines,” according to Rokoff Studio. “This path led to a painting style that is both sculptural and painterly.”
Rokoff was awarded a Calligram Falcon Fellowship in 2012, where he was granted funding and stipends. The Fellowship is awarded to artists to help pay for their living expenses while allowing them to freely focus only on their craft.
“Rokoff's central focus has always been the figure,” Rokoff Studio says. “It is here that he explores the language of gesture and expression and creates imagery that is evocative and timeless.”
He was captivated by the people and the beauty of the Big Island during his visit to Hawaii and knew that he would return to live on the island.