About
Artist Rozanne Hermelyn DiSilvestro is drawn to the energy around her and from within the subjects she paints. She exposes the vulnerable, spirited, and strong through minimalist compositions and sweeping paint strokes. Her art captures the confidence of a sitting figure, the turbulence of a city crowd, and the passion of the inner self. Rozanne’s art career traces back to her childhood and the support of her mother, who was a fashion designer and seamstress. “She taught me to design and sew my own clothes from a very early age,” says Rozanne. “At twelve, I begged her to sign me up for the adult education figure drawing class in the room next door to her painting class. To this day, I still participate in weekly life drawing sessions.” Rozanne continued to study art and design at UCLA and Art Center College of Design, and then worked for several years in the creative industry in Los Angeles and San Francisco before opening her own design firm. After twenty years of a successful professional career, Rozanne pivoted to focus on expressing her own creative voice. Today, she finds inspiration from life experiences and the many incredible people that cross her path. “When I accidentally came upon Russian-American painter Sergei Bongart, my creative life finally clicked,” she explains. “His words, ‘art is more than a product of your efforts; it should be about feeling, life, attitude, soul,’ still inspire me every day.” Rozanne has been awarded Best of Show and 1st place in numerous exhibitions. Her work has been shown in Triton Museum of Art, Janet Turner Print Museum, The Art Complex Museum, Museum of Los Gatos, and can be found in the permanent collections of the Harvard Art Museums and the Library of Congress as well as published in Reed Magazine, California’s oldest literary journal, and in The California Printmaker journal.
About Artwork
The start of a painting is the most onerous step for me. I feel as though, I can’t just paint a stroke, I must paint an inspired stroke. It is both harrowing yet freeing at the same time. I find that this uncomfortable space is where my best creative work develops. This potential inspires my romance with the monotype printmaking technique. The spontaneous act of drawing and painting on the smooth plate surface is a constant study of light and shadows. I first add oil inks with brushes or rollers and then remove the inks with various items like my fingers, a cloth, or a cotton swab. When the image is complete, I press my plate to paper through an etching press, creating an unique artwork.