Will Rochfort, Artist, Will Rochfort Art

Over the past 12 years, Will Rochfort has developed a truly individual style of narrative painting, producing work for a growing number of high-profile clients around the world.

"My paintings are snapshots of moments in time, often idealised and always entirely staged using my friends and family as models. I see myself as the director, shaping my chosen scene until I am happy and then using this as the groundwork to start painting. I focus on structure and gesture, colour and composition and always see the paint at work when you get close."

As his reputation continues to grow, Will Rochfort now has paintings in a number of private collections across the world.

“My paintings are snapshots of moments in time, often idealised and always entirely staged using my friends and family as models.”

Will Rochfort

Will Rochfort, Instagram

What is your favourite social media platform, and why?

Instagram. As an oil painter, it's the best social media platform to showcase my work, seeing as it is almost entirely visual. I also find it is used by my target demographic and has a far-reaching global audience.

Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.

I live in the south of England and paint from my studio every day. Currently, I'm working through a series of commissions that will be heading out all around the world. In addition, I'm about to embark on a huge piece depicting the 1904 original performance of Peter Pan. It will be a challenge, but I'm very much looking forward to it.

What do you like about your career or area of focus?

To be able to create my art every day is a blessing, and seeing people have an emotional reaction to something I have painted is a truly unique feeling.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

'Make it Happen'. The art world can be a tough place to make your living with lots of ups and downs, but if you want it, you just have to put 100% into it and make it happen. It might not happen overnight and will probably require a lot of constant hard work... but "Make it Happen."

What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?

There are a handful of artists that inspire me, Rockwell, Hopper, Sorolla, Sargent - if I'm struggling, I'll always go back to their work for a boost. But films are my biggest inspiration, and the cinema itself. 

I've had my best ideas come from movies... everything from a mood or atmosphere to a particular subject matter to recreating entire scenes with my own cast and crew.

What are you proud of in your life so far?

I'm most proud of my two children, five and two. But professionally, I'm most proud that I'm able to paint every day and look after my family through it. I also think that through social media, I've been able to reach and inspire a huge amount of people, and I'm very proud of that.

What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?

Nothing beats the real thing, and an exhibition or gallery event is amazing for networking and meeting like-minded people. But I also love 'meeting' people on Instagram because I'm constantly chatting with new people on the other side of the world that I would never have met otherwise.

What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?

I'm pretty determined when I set my mind to something, and you have to be fairly self-motivated when you work for yourself, which I think I am, but it helps that I love what I do. 

You also have to be quite positive and believe in yourself, which I've struggled with at times, but overall I'm able to see the value in what I produce, which helps me to keep going.

What do you wish you had known when you started out?

To not be too precious about the work. It's ok to make mistakes and try new things.

Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?

I admire people who have an eye for business and understand how to apply it to any walk of life. It's an area I'd like to improve, so I'm always interested in talking to those types of people. Creatively I always love seeing the collaborative nature of people in the art world. There can be snobbery and elitism, but more than that, I see people helping and learning from each other. That's really inspiring.

Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?

When I'm away from work, I spend all my time with my family and entertaining my children! But other than that I like watching movies, reading and cooking. It's rare that I'm ever totally separate from my work because I'm always thinking about painting or sketching down new ideas as they come. But the most important thing to me is my family.

Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?

I was actually busier than ever during the pandemic. I had to leave my larger work in my studio and focus on smaller pieces in my temporary studio at home. Still, I loved having the opportunity to spend more time with my family and work-wise, I don't seem to have stopped since, from commissions to exhibitions and gallery work. 

And I also used the lockdown to try and build my social media presence and reach a wider audience, and that's something I'm still working on today.

Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?

No. I've been asked a lot if I could give lessons, but it's not something I have time to do, unfortunately. Maybe one day.

What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?

I would say it is 100% possible to do what I do. It's a long game, but you just have to put everything into it. Of course, you'll meet a lot of setbacks along the way, and at first, you'll hear 'no' more than 'yes', but slowly that will change. 

You just have to keep going. Start off small - small canvas, subject, small galleries, prices, and build from there. In terms of actually learning to paint, it's just practice. Lots and lots of practice. 

Find the artists that inspire you and study their methods, apply what you learn to your own work and then keep practising!

What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?

I think it might come from how long it can take to establish yourself, and it can be fairly exhausting. If you aren't able to stick with it, then it can fall apart pretty fast.

Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?

I use Michael Harding oil paints exclusively. They're handmade in the UK and are the finest and best paints I've ever used. For brushes, I use the Pro Arte Sterling series, again for their quality and longevity. The painting surface isn't so important - I think you could paint a masterpiece on a tin can.

How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?

I think there are different types of success. Personal, professional, and financial, amongst others. For me, I think success is doing what you love every day. And if you can combine that with professional and financial success, that's just icing on the cake.