Andrew Roda recently moved from Los Angeles to a neighboring city in Southern California. In addition to all of the personal stuff that makes up a person’s life, he also had to move his studio and his growing collection of potted cactus. How do you move cactus? Very carefully.
Oh, The Places They’d Go, oil, 26 x 22 in.
“When an artist moves, it can get increasingly difficult. I had 20 potted cactuses, including a 200-pound pot from an upstairs patio. And my art studio. You start to run on fumes,” he says, adding that his object-filled paintings often create lots of objects in his studio, which added to the madness of moving. “I had seven elk skulls in various sizes that were packed and moved. So many things.”
Roda, who has a new show at King Galleries opening January 23 in Scottsdale, Arizona, brings his own unique brand of storytelling to his still life pieces. The objects he paints are classic subjects for the genre—cowboy boots, six-shooters, cattle and elk skulls, braided ropes and beat-up chaps—but his compositions speak to the timeless qualities of these objects.
A Soldier’s Stop in Amozoc, oil, 18 x 18 in.
“I’m drawn to the utilitarian aspect of these objects, and the craftsmanship and purpose that are in these items. They are objects that are meant to be used, and are used, and yet they have this artistry in them, whether it’s a hat or a saddle or pair of boots or chaps. You can see the creativity of design in each of them,” Roda says, adding that he doesn’t aim for a certain time period, though seeing the 1920s or 1930s represented in his work is common. He points to the Schofield revolver in Schofield. “The Schofield was the first break-barrel cartridge revolver ever made and so, on one hand, it’s an interesting object because 200 years of engineering led to its development, but it’s also this beautifully designed object.”
Showtime, oil, 48 x 24 in.
For Roda’s newest pieces, such as the chap-themed piece Showtime, the artist admits he’s maturing into his subject matter. He’s not aiming for hyperrealism or photorealism, and yet there is a great deal of detail in every piece. There is also some looseness. “Knowing where to put detail and where not to put detail is important. I have to eventually leave stuff alone. The silver brads in Showtime are a great example because there’s like 95 of them and each are different. But then if you look at the [cowhide] in the chaps, it would have been exhausting putting every single one of those hairs in and it would have made the painting feel a little stale. Instead, for that, I was able to go in with a larger brush and make these sweeping brushstrokes that convey more feeling.”
Schofield, oil, 26 x 22 in.
It’s a “push-pull and a give-and-take dynamic with detail,” Roda adds. The new paintings show he’s finding the right balance. Charles King, owner of King Galleries, agrees.
“Andrew Roda is a new voice in Western art,” King says. “His realistic approach focuses on daily life. A skull. A saddle. Shoes or a handkerchief. He depicts them with depth and warmth, giving them a modern life.”
Roda’s new show opens January 23. Prior to the gallery opening that evening, Roda will give a presentation at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. —
King Galleries » 7077 E. Main, Suite #20 » Scottsdale, AZ 85251 » (480) 481-0187 » www.kinggalleries.com
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