Parkpoint Santa Rosa

The artists exhibiting at Parkpoint Health Clubs are members of the club or our very own staff. The Buchanan family (Club owners) are delighted to showcase the art of their members and staff, and feel blessed to have their clubs enjoy such beautiful work. They are grateful to have so many talented artists in all three clubs. It has been a pleasure to share their appreciation of art with all the members and Parkpoint community.

Stop by to see the current exhibit on display from Parkpoint member and artist:

Robert Ochs

ROBERT OCHS

My pop was an artist. This is one of the many things that has led me to this current moment as a painter. While I don’t have a traditional artist background, I occasionally reflect on some of those winding roads that have shaped my work.

My dad could not make a living selling his work. He did, however, make a good living running art shows and growing an art supply/framing business out of his studio in Southern California.

I studied kinesiology—anatomy, exercise physiology—and taught these classes for many years for dancers and artists at California Institute of the Arts. That synthesis of art and movement speaks to me, and I love when that comes through in my paintings.

In my 20s during an extended adolescence and while searching for direction, I found myself making custom picture frames in a small art gallery in Hawaii (for $2/hour). Later I took over my dad’s business—Ochs Studios (and hence the name of my website).

I also took some art classes at the local JC with a particularly encouraging instructor who thought I had some potential. I wanted to paint, but because of my familiarity with artists and their struggles, I hatched a plan to hedge my bet—I went back to school, believing I could work part-time, and paint along the way.

Then, life happened. For almost 40 years, I barely picked up a brush. It seemed I needed space—in my home, in my mind, and in my schedule.

I landed in the field of forensic mental health, which led me to Sonoma County. I retired a few years ago after 10 years as Sonoma County’s Chief Probation Officer, but with that painting desire still smoldering. Upon retiring, I slowly developed a home studio, where I began spending more and more time. And I was grabbed again.

And here I am now. The complexity and depth of the person/painter we become stem from all those experiences we have in every aspect of our lives, and all the lessons we allow ourselves to learn along the way—unexplainable, mysterious really.

As to the subject of my work, earlier I would have said it is the figure, but less so now. These days, the subject is shape, value, line, brush stroke, composition, and color—and the figure, the wonderful figure, is something I hang these things on.

I paint because I love it. I enjoy applying paint, making marks. I’m lucky to not need to sell my work, but the knowledge that some folks want to hang my paintings in their home is humbling, and joyful. And by the way, artists typically love to speak about their work. If you’d like to ask or say anything about my paintings, it’d be great to hear from you.

And finally, a hearty thank you to Patsy, Kacie, and all the Parkpoint folks (and my good friend Bobby Schmidt) for reinvigorating this event, and for allowing me to display some of my work.

https://www.ochsstudios.com