Artist Brings Memories of Okinawa to USA
Artist Rochelle Trevarrow has been producing a series of art pieces that bring memories of "home" to those who have lived in Okinawa, Japan. As former military "brat," Rochelle grew up in foreign countries and a few US States. She calls Okinawa home, since that is where she spent the most time, before moving to the States in late 1999. "My father was stationed on Kadena Air Base and the many years I spent there made a lasting impression on me," says Rochelle, and it seems to have inspired her artwork in a big way. "I actually stumbled upon this series by accident. I had been painting many NFL team fan art canvases, and was feeling burned out. I decided to take a break and paint the pattern of a shirt I was wearing that was designed by a former classmate I grew up with in Okinawa. The pattern was of a traditional Okinawan bingata. It had various flowers and clouds with a yellow background. I then put an outline of the Okinawa Islands in the middle. I loved it and posted a picture of it to my friends on Facebook. Immediately it went viral, and to my surprise my former guidance counselor at Kadena High School bought it. After that I created a few more and more of my former classmates raved about them and I made a few more sales. I currently have several island paintings and a shisa dog set available, with a fine art piece of Shuri Castle in the works."
As the months roll by, Rochelle keeps busy with commissioned artwork for her clients. She is hired to create paintings of many different things, such as business logos, sports teams, abstract concepts and cities. Rochelle says she loves every new opportunity she gets when clients call for artwork. She has several repeat clients and they kept her busy this past holiday season. Rochelle is working on expanding further and offering private lessons as well as painting parties. "I think the popular wine/paint events are great, however people attending are limited to one design. I know there are many people who are looking for that 'real world how-to' teacher to show them how to make their idea into real art, and I want to provide that for them. I want to teach the techniques that no one teaches you in art school."
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