Vanessa Françoise Rothe is a Curator, writer/editor, gallery owner, lecturer and fine artist. She grew up in the artists colony of Laguna Beach, CA, the daughter to a well known German fashion designer to Hollywood and the music industry Detlev Rothe, and her French mother, model and translator, Jacqueline Ricaud. She received both fine art and academic achievement scholarships and studied Business/Marketing and French Literature at the University of San Diego, University of CA, Irvine, and later studied Fine Art at the Laguna College of Art and Design, receiving honors throughout.
Rothe's work can be found in the permanent collection of the Hilbert Museum, in California, she is an official juried Artist Member of the famed Salmagundi Art Club New York, a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society where she served as its Educational Director for 4 years and was named " Artist for the New Century" from the Bennington Center of the arts in 2012.
Rothe holds BA degrees in Business Marketing and French literature ( USD and UCI) and has studied three years of classical fine art training at Laguna College of Art and Design, with top honors throughout.
She began her art career with three successful solo exhibitions at Wendt Gallery in Laguna Beach, along with an impressive list of group shows where her work has been exhibited including: Arcadia Contemporary, The Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, The Laguna Beach Art Museum Auction, LA ART SHOW CA museum booth, Abend Gallery in Denver, Galerie DDG and Galerie Prince de L'oeil in Paris, France, the Salmagundi Club New York, J. Willott Gallery El Paseo Palm Desert, and California Art Club exhibitions, Collectors for Connoisseurship events, The Annual American Impressionist Society Exhibitions ( where she is a signature artist), The California Museum of Fine Art, Artists for a New Century at The Bennington Center for the Arts, and many more. She was named one of the "Artists for a new century from the Bennington Center of the Arts in 2012 early on in her career. She is very proud to have exhibited and sold all of her works at Arcadia Contemporary during the Americans in Paris exhibition 2018. After exhibiting at Wendt Gallery in Laguna for 6 years from 2002-2008 she then opened Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery and Atelier on Ocean Avenue in Laguna Beach, and ran the gallery for 14 years. Rothe's work can be found in the permanent collection of the HILBERT MUSEUM of CALIFORNIA ART. Rothe has been exhibiting alongside International fine artists and and at many exhibitions and events worldwide for over 25 years.
In addition to her life as a full time professional artist, Rothe served 16 years as the West Coast editor of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine and is currently is proud to be a contributing editor for American Art Collector, American Fine Art, and International Artist magazines as a contributing editor. Her monthly column Art Industry Insider can also be found in International Artist Magazine discussing various pertinent topics such as the art business, framing, marketing and how to sell your work without a gallery etc.
She is founder of the 'Americans in Paris' worldwide Exhibitions and workshops and is a member of the American Friends of the Musée D’Orsay Paris. https://www.vanessarothefineart.com/about-the-americans-in-paris.html
Her subjects include bold fashion figures on colorful backgrounds, still life with artist studio and fashion as subject matter, beautiful landscapes of France, Switzerland and Italy, the allure of historic cities such as Paris and Venice, classic California seascapes with artful still life's. Influenced by a blend of classical traditional representational/Impressionist works by masters such as Sargent, Wendt, Payne, Manet, Cassas, as well as contemporary modern masters like Dan McCaw and Malcom Liepke, she takes the essence of a subject and captures its charm with the use of color, shadows, and light. The work is a mix of representational or realist as its base and then she adds thicker bold brush strokes and pleasing color combinations to form a realist yet slightly impressionistic, decorative style, which her collectors admire. Her subjects include bold fashion figures on colorful backgrounds, still life with artist studio and fashion as subject matter, beautiful landscapes of France, Switzerland and Italy, the allure of historic cities such as Paris and Venice, classic California seascapes with artful still life's. Learn more about Rothes work and process below.
Vanessa Rothe is also the Author/Artist to a series of art instructional books published by the leader in art instructional books, Walter Foster Publishing entitled "An Art School Approach to Oils" which can be found at barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com She teaches atelier and plein air workshops in California and France.
Rothe is proud to be sponsored an artist Ambassador for Rembrant Royal Talens, Isabey, brushes, and RAYMAR's Artfix linen panels.
Rothe's work can be found in the permanent collection of the Hilbert Museum, in California, she is an official juried Artist Member of the famed Salmagundi Art Club New York, a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society where she served as its Educational Director for 4 years and was named " Artist for the New Century" from the Bennington Center of the arts in 2012.
Rothe holds BA degrees in Business Marketing and French literature ( USD and UCI) and has studied three years of classical fine art training at Laguna College of Art and Design, with top honors throughout.
She began her art career with three successful solo exhibitions at Wendt Gallery in Laguna Beach, along with an impressive list of group shows where her work has been exhibited including: Arcadia Contemporary, The Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, The Laguna Beach Art Museum Auction, LA ART SHOW CA museum booth, Abend Gallery in Denver, Galerie DDG and Galerie Prince de L'oeil in Paris, France, the Salmagundi Club New York, J. Willott Gallery El Paseo Palm Desert, and California Art Club exhibitions, Collectors for Connoisseurship events, The Annual American Impressionist Society Exhibitions ( where she is a signature artist), The California Museum of Fine Art, Artists for a New Century at The Bennington Center for the Arts, and many more. She was named one of the "Artists for a new century from the Bennington Center of the Arts in 2012 early on in her career. She is very proud to have exhibited and sold all of her works at Arcadia Contemporary during the Americans in Paris exhibition 2018. After exhibiting at Wendt Gallery in Laguna for 6 years from 2002-2008 she then opened Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery and Atelier on Ocean Avenue in Laguna Beach, and ran the gallery for 14 years. Rothe's work can be found in the permanent collection of the HILBERT MUSEUM of CALIFORNIA ART. Rothe has been exhibiting alongside International fine artists and and at many exhibitions and events worldwide for over 25 years.
In addition to her life as a full time professional artist, Rothe served 16 years as the West Coast editor of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine and is currently is proud to be a contributing editor for American Art Collector, American Fine Art, and International Artist magazines as a contributing editor. Her monthly column Art Industry Insider can also be found in International Artist Magazine discussing various pertinent topics such as the art business, framing, marketing and how to sell your work without a gallery etc.
She is founder of the 'Americans in Paris' worldwide Exhibitions and workshops and is a member of the American Friends of the Musée D’Orsay Paris. https://www.vanessarothefineart.com/about-the-americans-in-paris.html
Her subjects include bold fashion figures on colorful backgrounds, still life with artist studio and fashion as subject matter, beautiful landscapes of France, Switzerland and Italy, the allure of historic cities such as Paris and Venice, classic California seascapes with artful still life's. Influenced by a blend of classical traditional representational/Impressionist works by masters such as Sargent, Wendt, Payne, Manet, Cassas, as well as contemporary modern masters like Dan McCaw and Malcom Liepke, she takes the essence of a subject and captures its charm with the use of color, shadows, and light. The work is a mix of representational or realist as its base and then she adds thicker bold brush strokes and pleasing color combinations to form a realist yet slightly impressionistic, decorative style, which her collectors admire. Her subjects include bold fashion figures on colorful backgrounds, still life with artist studio and fashion as subject matter, beautiful landscapes of France, Switzerland and Italy, the allure of historic cities such as Paris and Venice, classic California seascapes with artful still life's. Learn more about Rothes work and process below.
Vanessa Rothe is also the Author/Artist to a series of art instructional books published by the leader in art instructional books, Walter Foster Publishing entitled "An Art School Approach to Oils" which can be found at barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com She teaches atelier and plein air workshops in California and France.
Rothe is proud to be sponsored an artist Ambassador for Rembrant Royal Talens, Isabey, brushes, and RAYMAR's Artfix linen panels.
Exhibitions List:
Please see below plus our EXHIBITING ARTIST and CURATED EXHIBITIONS combined list, as Rothe is both fine artist and curator. Rothe is honored and proud to have shown and sold thousands of her paintings during her 24 years,
in over 65 exhibitions from New York, to Paris to Los Angeles to Laguna Beach.
2002-2023 Art in Exhibitions at Galleries and Museums: Arcadia Contemporary, The Hilbert Museum permanent collection, the Salmagundi Club NYC, The LA ART SHOW, Abend Gallery, Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, J Willow Gallery, CODA AIS Palm Desert, Prince de L'Oeil ( paris France) Gallerie DDG ( Paris France), Laguna Art Museum-California Cool Auctions, The Bowers Museum, California Museum of Fine Art, Windows to the Divine ( collectors for connoisseurship) California Art Club, etc...
2010- Present Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Laguna. Beach, CA
2002-2008 Wendt Gallery Laguna Beach, CA
Honors and Awards:
Honor: Signature Artist Member American Impressionist Society- juried 2010 - to present
Award: Paris Galerie DDG, American Artist in Paris honorary award, 2014
Award: Voted "Artist for a New Century" by Bennington Center of the Arts 2010
Award: Wendt Gallery Award "Best Aspiring Artist award" and Gallery Representation, Laguna Beach 2002
Honors: Deans List Magna Cum Laude, Laguna College of Art and Design 2002-2004, 2016 and 2018
Award: Festival of Arts Scholarship $1,000 per unit fine art courses 1988 4 consecutive years.
Award: 1st place Senior Art Contest -Laguna Beach High School California 1988
Please see below plus our EXHIBITING ARTIST and CURATED EXHIBITIONS combined list, as Rothe is both fine artist and curator. Rothe is honored and proud to have shown and sold thousands of her paintings during her 24 years,
in over 65 exhibitions from New York, to Paris to Los Angeles to Laguna Beach.
2002-2023 Art in Exhibitions at Galleries and Museums: Arcadia Contemporary, The Hilbert Museum permanent collection, the Salmagundi Club NYC, The LA ART SHOW, Abend Gallery, Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, J Willow Gallery, CODA AIS Palm Desert, Prince de L'Oeil ( paris France) Gallerie DDG ( Paris France), Laguna Art Museum-California Cool Auctions, The Bowers Museum, California Museum of Fine Art, Windows to the Divine ( collectors for connoisseurship) California Art Club, etc...
2010- Present Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Laguna. Beach, CA
2002-2008 Wendt Gallery Laguna Beach, CA
Honors and Awards:
Honor: Signature Artist Member American Impressionist Society- juried 2010 - to present
Award: Paris Galerie DDG, American Artist in Paris honorary award, 2014
Award: Voted "Artist for a New Century" by Bennington Center of the Arts 2010
Award: Wendt Gallery Award "Best Aspiring Artist award" and Gallery Representation, Laguna Beach 2002
Honors: Deans List Magna Cum Laude, Laguna College of Art and Design 2002-2004, 2016 and 2018
Award: Festival of Arts Scholarship $1,000 per unit fine art courses 1988 4 consecutive years.
Award: 1st place Senior Art Contest -Laguna Beach High School California 1988
Selected Workshops/ Teaching / Live ART Demo's/ Podcasts- Interviews
2012 Plein Air Convention - Mentor/Teacher Artist plein air painting on location
2013 Plein Air Convention - Teacher Workshop beginning day WATERCOLORS en plein air.
2013 Plein Air Convention Live demo on stage with Pierre Guidetti talking for Sennelier paints and art supplies
2014 California Art Club demonstration at Randy Higbee Gallery, as Orange County Chapter Chair
2015 Plein Air Convention San Diego - Mentor Teacher on location
2015 Laguna College of Art and Design demo for Americans in paris evening event
2015 Americans in Paris live demo at Salmagundi Club
2016 Christie's Auction House, New York at Rockefeller center. Live demo in PASTELS for Sennelier Savoir Faire book launch.
2016 American Impressionist Society Live art education demonstration day -Salmagundi Club
2017 Randy Higbee Gallery live Demo
2018 Fine Art and Fashion Demo and Lecture at the Salmagundi Club
2019 Realism Without Borders at VRFA Gallery
2020 Sentient Academy interview live " The Business of Fine Art" with Vanessa Rothe
2020 Travel Sketching with Vanessa Rothe- watercolors presented by Sennelier colors in Paris.
2021 PODCAST for American Art Collective, magazine LIVE apple podcast with Vanessa Rothe
2021 Gallery PANEL for Vision X Live with 3 other gallery owners.
2022 Live Gallery art demo alongside Derek Penix at VRFA Gallery for LE VOYAGE
2022 Workshops in France, Provence. Americans in Paris, live art demos and lectures
2022 Gallery PANEL for Vision X Live with 3 other gallery owners
2022 Live Art Demo on Facebook LIVE for Rembrant Royal talens Creative Studio live.
2022 -present Monthly column THE ART INDUSTRY INSIDER with Vanessa Rothe in International Artist Magazine
2023 February 6-8 page IN PRINT "How to Paint" step by step demo for INTERNATIONAL ARTIST magazine and REMBRANDT ROYAL TALENS
2012 Plein Air Convention - Mentor/Teacher Artist plein air painting on location
2013 Plein Air Convention - Teacher Workshop beginning day WATERCOLORS en plein air.
2013 Plein Air Convention Live demo on stage with Pierre Guidetti talking for Sennelier paints and art supplies
2014 California Art Club demonstration at Randy Higbee Gallery, as Orange County Chapter Chair
2015 Plein Air Convention San Diego - Mentor Teacher on location
2015 Laguna College of Art and Design demo for Americans in paris evening event
2015 Americans in Paris live demo at Salmagundi Club
2016 Christie's Auction House, New York at Rockefeller center. Live demo in PASTELS for Sennelier Savoir Faire book launch.
2016 American Impressionist Society Live art education demonstration day -Salmagundi Club
2017 Randy Higbee Gallery live Demo
2018 Fine Art and Fashion Demo and Lecture at the Salmagundi Club
2019 Realism Without Borders at VRFA Gallery
2020 Sentient Academy interview live " The Business of Fine Art" with Vanessa Rothe
2020 Travel Sketching with Vanessa Rothe- watercolors presented by Sennelier colors in Paris.
2021 PODCAST for American Art Collective, magazine LIVE apple podcast with Vanessa Rothe
2021 Gallery PANEL for Vision X Live with 3 other gallery owners.
2022 Live Gallery art demo alongside Derek Penix at VRFA Gallery for LE VOYAGE
2022 Workshops in France, Provence. Americans in Paris, live art demos and lectures
2022 Gallery PANEL for Vision X Live with 3 other gallery owners
2022 Live Art Demo on Facebook LIVE for Rembrant Royal talens Creative Studio live.
2022 -present Monthly column THE ART INDUSTRY INSIDER with Vanessa Rothe in International Artist Magazine
2023 February 6-8 page IN PRINT "How to Paint" step by step demo for INTERNATIONAL ARTIST magazine and REMBRANDT ROYAL TALENS
Artists Statement
Creating a Lasting Impression
My art education is from various sources. From graphic design and marketing classes and jobs that include Disney press, to fine art classical training in art school. From training my eye with visuals my whole life with international travel (Paris, Italy, Switzerland) to years of being involved in art and literature, as well as internships in Europe working directly with bold professional illustrators, fine artists and graphi designers. These combined have helped mold my style which is a mix of traditional realism mixed with impressionism.
Growing up in an arts community the daughter to a fashion designer/antique dealer to the stars in the art community of Laguna Beach, I was painting on silk and selling creations already at age 10 and had won the senior art contest by age 18. I received an important scholarship from the Festival of Arts at 18 winning first place in the senior art contest. When I took my first college art classes, I reported back to the FOA each year receiving approval from the board on my progress. It is thanks to their help and support I have become the successful artist I am today.
My landscape and seascape works in oils are my main works and genre. They are simply about capturing a moment, the way I saw it or experienced it, to try and bring a feeling to the viewer, be it of the subjects beauty itself, or of a human feeling. Whether it’s a golden wheat field where the wind blows and the tall reeds sway in the sunlight, an Italian Riviera port when the light brightens the side of multicolored boats, or the light on your face sitting under the shade of rows trees as the sun flickers between long purple shadows at the end of the day. Its about the beauty in nature that I experienced or felt as part of that moment. If I can capture those times, those moments, and create an impression on canvas with the richness of color, line, and value....., then I’ve succeeded in sharing an amazing part of my life.
I feel my French heritage plays a large roll in the inspiration and subjects of my works. I admired my French grandfather François Ricaud very much. He taught me at a young age, the language, culture, art and the importance of living "La Vie en Rose" and often recounted stories of summers he spent in Provence, things he did, and described the scenes I now visit today and capture on my canvas. Much of my passion for my art stems from that French family, French history and from general art history, which I later studied, along with business, graphics, and French Literature. I have been fortunate to have lived in Switzerland for six years and from there have traveled half the globe admiring art museums and many genres of works.
I have had the privilege to meet the Rolling Stones in my living room, to rub shoulders with Hollywood stars in our family business and to travel the world and see and experience many incredibly beautiful places. All of which has influenced my work. Some of my works have been influenced by my father who was a clothing designer to the musicians and actors. I used to draw and sketch his designs for him. I grew up in the sewing and painting studio with textures, fabric, interior design and colors which sometimes trickle their way into my work for commissions and interesting subjects.
MEDIUMS: I paint primarily in oil which allows me to layer colors that are similar next to each other and even on top, allowing for some semi controlled mixing of the two colors to form a third that is often an accidental and beautiful. They are rich and allow me to create the high contrast I enjoy seeing in things. With oils I can give importance to an aspect of the scene I most want to convey by highlighting them with a thicker stroke, adding more light or higher contrast. Ive learned a lot from my paint sponsors Sennelier and Rembrandt Royal Talens, the history of color, the importance of mediums and how they work to help an artist convey their goals.
I continue to draw in charcoal, doing master copies, small sketches and sometimes the first pass on my canvas is pencil or charcoal so I can have an acurate drawing. I still love to paint in watercolors and often do sketches for fashion or on location when I travel. I find so much beauty in their transitions and the fluid, flow. of the paint and water. It moves and dries in ways you cant plan and often makes natural effects that have beauty in themselves. I use my drawing and watercolor sketches as great color studies, along with my photographs, that help me create and oil painting.
I am proud to be sponsored by Rembrant, ROYAL TALENS, RAYMAR fine art canvas and linen panels and CERNO revelite.
Production
My art studio, which I had for 14 years was located downtown Laguna Beach, but on a quiet street from 2010 to 2024. Prior to that and now again, I work from my beautiful home studio with large windows and ocean view of my home town that is inspiring. I work both from life and from photographs, sometimes from memory, or pure conceptual creative invention. I draw imagery and ideas from my experiences in life. Sometimes I make a small watercolor sketch of that moment or scene from life, or take a series of photos of the subject, set up a live model or combine many ideas together from multiple photography sources. My works are done in the studio and on location. If Im working on location they are completed within a few hours as Im usually trying to capture a time of day that changes quickly with nature and the sun as it moves changes the shadows. If Im completing a studio piece, I normally will have taken a photo and done a small oil, watercolor or conceptual pencil sketch. Photoshop I combine Ideas for a reference. Some works in the studio take only an hour or two plein air or painted alla prima, and some larger conceptual art will take up to 10-20 hours to complete.
I work on a primed canvas or linen, stretched or on Raymar panel. on board. I prime my canvas’s with an additional mixed beige/brown color similar to the color of old raw linen. I enjoy when it can be seen thru the works and creates a neutral base for the colors. My works vary in size from a small 8x10' gems to large 30x40", or sometimes even larger.
Creating a Lasting Impression
My art education is from various sources. From graphic design and marketing classes and jobs that include Disney press, to fine art classical training in art school. From training my eye with visuals my whole life with international travel (Paris, Italy, Switzerland) to years of being involved in art and literature, as well as internships in Europe working directly with bold professional illustrators, fine artists and graphi designers. These combined have helped mold my style which is a mix of traditional realism mixed with impressionism.
Growing up in an arts community the daughter to a fashion designer/antique dealer to the stars in the art community of Laguna Beach, I was painting on silk and selling creations already at age 10 and had won the senior art contest by age 18. I received an important scholarship from the Festival of Arts at 18 winning first place in the senior art contest. When I took my first college art classes, I reported back to the FOA each year receiving approval from the board on my progress. It is thanks to their help and support I have become the successful artist I am today.
My landscape and seascape works in oils are my main works and genre. They are simply about capturing a moment, the way I saw it or experienced it, to try and bring a feeling to the viewer, be it of the subjects beauty itself, or of a human feeling. Whether it’s a golden wheat field where the wind blows and the tall reeds sway in the sunlight, an Italian Riviera port when the light brightens the side of multicolored boats, or the light on your face sitting under the shade of rows trees as the sun flickers between long purple shadows at the end of the day. Its about the beauty in nature that I experienced or felt as part of that moment. If I can capture those times, those moments, and create an impression on canvas with the richness of color, line, and value....., then I’ve succeeded in sharing an amazing part of my life.
I feel my French heritage plays a large roll in the inspiration and subjects of my works. I admired my French grandfather François Ricaud very much. He taught me at a young age, the language, culture, art and the importance of living "La Vie en Rose" and often recounted stories of summers he spent in Provence, things he did, and described the scenes I now visit today and capture on my canvas. Much of my passion for my art stems from that French family, French history and from general art history, which I later studied, along with business, graphics, and French Literature. I have been fortunate to have lived in Switzerland for six years and from there have traveled half the globe admiring art museums and many genres of works.
I have had the privilege to meet the Rolling Stones in my living room, to rub shoulders with Hollywood stars in our family business and to travel the world and see and experience many incredibly beautiful places. All of which has influenced my work. Some of my works have been influenced by my father who was a clothing designer to the musicians and actors. I used to draw and sketch his designs for him. I grew up in the sewing and painting studio with textures, fabric, interior design and colors which sometimes trickle their way into my work for commissions and interesting subjects.
MEDIUMS: I paint primarily in oil which allows me to layer colors that are similar next to each other and even on top, allowing for some semi controlled mixing of the two colors to form a third that is often an accidental and beautiful. They are rich and allow me to create the high contrast I enjoy seeing in things. With oils I can give importance to an aspect of the scene I most want to convey by highlighting them with a thicker stroke, adding more light or higher contrast. Ive learned a lot from my paint sponsors Sennelier and Rembrandt Royal Talens, the history of color, the importance of mediums and how they work to help an artist convey their goals.
I continue to draw in charcoal, doing master copies, small sketches and sometimes the first pass on my canvas is pencil or charcoal so I can have an acurate drawing. I still love to paint in watercolors and often do sketches for fashion or on location when I travel. I find so much beauty in their transitions and the fluid, flow. of the paint and water. It moves and dries in ways you cant plan and often makes natural effects that have beauty in themselves. I use my drawing and watercolor sketches as great color studies, along with my photographs, that help me create and oil painting.
I am proud to be sponsored by Rembrant, ROYAL TALENS, RAYMAR fine art canvas and linen panels and CERNO revelite.
Production
My art studio, which I had for 14 years was located downtown Laguna Beach, but on a quiet street from 2010 to 2024. Prior to that and now again, I work from my beautiful home studio with large windows and ocean view of my home town that is inspiring. I work both from life and from photographs, sometimes from memory, or pure conceptual creative invention. I draw imagery and ideas from my experiences in life. Sometimes I make a small watercolor sketch of that moment or scene from life, or take a series of photos of the subject, set up a live model or combine many ideas together from multiple photography sources. My works are done in the studio and on location. If Im working on location they are completed within a few hours as Im usually trying to capture a time of day that changes quickly with nature and the sun as it moves changes the shadows. If Im completing a studio piece, I normally will have taken a photo and done a small oil, watercolor or conceptual pencil sketch. Photoshop I combine Ideas for a reference. Some works in the studio take only an hour or two plein air or painted alla prima, and some larger conceptual art will take up to 10-20 hours to complete.
I work on a primed canvas or linen, stretched or on Raymar panel. on board. I prime my canvas’s with an additional mixed beige/brown color similar to the color of old raw linen. I enjoy when it can be seen thru the works and creates a neutral base for the colors. My works vary in size from a small 8x10' gems to large 30x40", or sometimes even larger.
Below: Live interview with Rothe on the business of Vanessa Rothe Fine Art and how her career got started- by Sentient Academy