Evoking the works of classic 20th-century painters like Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth with a dash of Dalí’s surrealism, Pat Rocha’s works (spotted via Faith is Torment) all feature a strong narrative caught within the canvas. In his artist’s statement, Rocha explains that the images in his paintings come mostly from his own experiences from childhood, and there’s an underlying sense of Americana on display throughout his collections. “If the mood or moment is strong enough then people can draw their own conclusions,” Rocha writes. “Sometimes real, sometimes imaginary. Sometimes when I’m looking at an old photograph I’ll stare at the person in the photo and imagine myself in the same room. It’s impossible for me to paint a portrait without having a story to tell behind it.” After the jump, take a look a Rocha’s paintings and try to imagine a story for each one.
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha
Image credit: Pat Rocha