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, Morocco, Carribean, Switzerland) to years of being involved in fashion, art and literature, as well as internships in Europe working directly with bold professional illustrators and artists. These combined have helped mold my style which is a mix of traditional realism mixed with painterly bold modern.Many of my current works are also focused on fashion and interiors, influenced by my father who was a clothing designer to the musicians and actors. I grew up in the sewing and painting studio with textures, fabric, interior design and colors which have always been some of my favorite and interesting subjects. 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 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. Along with the fashion influence I have from my father and the sewing studio. I feel my French heritage plays a large roll in the inspiration of my works, mainly in subject. 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 mnay genres of works. My landscape work is 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 what I remember, saw, 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.
Vanessa Françoise Rothe was born in Hollywood and grew up in the artists’ colony of Laguna Beach, California, the daughter to a fashion designer father and French mother. Rothe majored in Business Marketing and French literature at the University of San Diego, and UC Irvine, then received a scholarship and had a classical art education at the Laguna College of Art and Design, achieving top honors in all her studies. After working as a graphic designer and art director working with Disney press, Sony and more for 15 years, Rothe switched to a real color palette, and launched her fine art career with three successful solo exhibitions at Wendt Gallery alongside the nations top artists in Laguna Beach from 2002-2008. Early in her career, she was honored to be listed among the ”Artists for a New Century” at the Bennington Center for the Arts in 2012. Her work is a mix of realism from her classical training and Impressionism with alluring landscapes, colorful boats from the Riviera. Primarily working in oils, she enjoys creating small and large scale watercolors as well. Rothe is honored to have participated in exhibitions at top galleries and museums including: Arcadia Contemporary NYC, Abend Gallery, The Richard Schmid Fine Art Auctions, Galerie Prince d “lOeil, Paris, Galerie DDG in Paris,The Salmagundi Club, J.WIllott Gallery and Coda Gallery Palm Desert, The Laguna Art Museum, Paul Scott Gallery, AZ, The American Impressionist Society Annual Exhibitions, The Bowers Museum, the California Museum of Fine Art etc. Rothe's fine art work now appears in the permanent collection at the Hilbert Museum of California Art.
Vanessa is a member of the American Friends of the Musée D’Orsay, a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society and served as its Educational Director for 4 years. She is an Artist member of the renown Salamagundi Club NY, and part of its PR team, as well as an artist member of Oil Painters of America. She is proudly sponsored by Rembrandt Royal Talens NA, and Raymar panels.In addition to her career as a fine artist, she is also proud to contribute to the art world curating over 40 exhibitions from LA, to NYC, to Laguna Beach to Paris, including her Americans in Paris exhibitions and events in Paris, France, lecturing at the Salmagundi Club NYC, the Laguna Art Museum and the Hilbert Museum of California Art and as contributing editor, for fine art magazines. She served as the West Coast Editor for Fine Art Connoisseur magazine for 16 years and is currently writing for for American Art Collector, American Fine Art magazines and currently has her own column The Art Industry Insider in International Fine Art magazine. Rothe is very proud to be working with Ballards Gallery.
Signature Artist Member of the American Impressionist Society
Oil Painters of America
American Women Artists
American Artist Professional League
Salmagundi Club NYC: Artist Member, Lecturer and PR Committee member
Member of the American Friends of the Musée D’ Orsay
Alongside her career as a classically trained fine artist, Vanessa is a curator, lecturer, instructor and judge of events, who is honored to have lectured at and curated over 45 successful exhibitions at Galleries and Museums throughout the world.
Chosen as “Artist’s for a New Century” award and exhibition in 2002 Bennington Center of the Arts Bennington, Vermont
Artist Ambassador for Rembrandt with Royal Talens NA, and Raymar Panels
Contributing Editor/writer for American Fine Art magazine, American Art Collector magazine, Western Art Collector and monthly Columnist for International Artist Magazine
West Coast Editor for Fine Art Connoisseur and Plein Air magazine 16 years,
2002-2018
Christies NY Rockefeller Live Pastel Demo at for Sennelier book launch and paints, during the Impressionist Exhibition NYC, 2012
Lectured at: Hilbert Museum of California Art, the Laguna Art Museum, The Salmagundi Club New York, Abend Gallery Denver, Mountain Trails Gallery, Laguna College of Art and Design, and The Musée D’ Orsay France
American Impressionist Society Educational Director 4 years
California Art Club Orange County Chapter Chairman 1 year
Instructor at the Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale AZ
Instructor/Lecturer at the the Plein Air Convention, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
Instructor at Workshops in France, and UPTREK European workshops and retreats
Invited artist, writer, lecturer to the prestigious ALPINE FELLOWSHIP in Venice Italy 2014 alongside Roger Scruton (Philosopher), Ian McEwan ( Writer of Atonement), John Burnside (Poet) and many more.
Invited Speaker paper presenter at TRAC philosophy of art conference “Cartesian Dualism” accepted paper on the mind- body discussion in creating a work of art.
2023 Judge - American Women’s Artists annual exhibition "Pushing Forward, Reaching Back" Judges: Tricia Losher, and Michelle Marceau and Vanessa Rothe
Judge of awards for Fine Art Connoisseur and Plein Air Magazines, LPAPA Annual Plein Air exhibition,12 years
2014 Judge San Clemente Fine Art Association Plein Air Annual Event and Exhibition
Selected Exhibitions
February 2024 Vanessa Françoise Rothe oil painting in the permanent collection of the HILBERT MUSEUM of CALIFORNIA ART. "Laguna Coastline, A New Perspective" 16x12" Oil on linen 2024.
October 2023 153rd Annual juried “SALMAGUNDI CLUB FALL AUCTION”, Salmagundi Club. Juried event in New York City.
July, August, 2023 "TRYPTICH” Dan McCaw, Derek Penix and Vanessa Rothe at VRFA Gallery Laguna Beach CA
April, May 2023 “Americans in Paris, FINE ART AND FASHION” Salmagundi Club, NY Artists: Quang Ho, CW Mundy, Adrienne Stein, Vanessa Rothe, Dan McCaw, Danny McCaw, Aaron Westerberg, Vincent Xeus, Michelle Dunaway, Nicolas Martin, Casey Childs, Joseph Lorenzo, Michael Carter.
November, December 2021 "AMERICANS IN PARIS : ART NOUVEAU" VRFA Gallery Laguna Beach CA
January 2021 "VRFA MODERN" January 2021 Dan McCaw, Derek Penix, Matt Talbert, Vanessa Rothe, Tom Balderas at VRFA GALLERY
June 2020, "LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS" 2020 at the VRFA Gallery Laguna Beach California. Artists: Michelle Dunaway, Bryan Mark Taylor, Josh Clare, Vanessa Rothe, Karen Offutt.
September 2019 "THE HUNT" EXHIBITION at the Salmagundi Club, NEW YORK Artists: Jeremy Lipking, Michelle Dunaway, Karen Offutt, Vanessa Rothe, Stephan Bauman, Cornelia Hernes, Aaron Westerberg, Vincent Xeus.
2019 AMERICAN IMPRESSIONIST SOCITEY 25th annual Exhibit at the Salmagundi Club NYC, 2019. Signature Member Artist and AIS Educational Director
2018 ARCADIA CONTEMPORARY LA/New York, “Americans in Paris” Bi continental exhibition. Curator, fine artist. Casey Baugh, Vanessa Rothe, Aaron Westerberg, Vincent Xeus, Michelle Dunaway, Nicolas Martin, Casey Childs, Katie Whipple.
2018 GALERIS L’OEIL DU PRINCE, Paris France “Americans in Paris” bi continental exhibition. Curator, fine artist . Jeremy Lipking, Vanessa Rothe, Aaron Westerberg, Vincent Xeus, Michelle Dunaway, Nicolas Martin, Casey Childs, Katie Whipple.
2018 “Windows to the Divine" "Collectors for Connoisseurship" Denver CO, Curated by Shannon Robinson. Artists:
2018 "REALISM WITHOUT BORDERS SPRING 2018 COLLECTION" April 2018 Salmagundi Club New York.
2017 "REALISM WITHOUT BORDERS" AT THE SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY Russian, Ukraine and American Realism and Impressionism
2016 THE HUNTINGTON BEACH ART MUSEUM "Historical and Contemporary” 2016 Curated by Irvine Museum Director, Jean Stern
April 2016 THE PARIS SEMINAR (now the “Americans in Paris”) Bi coastal, Salmagundi Club NYC, and Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach CA. Artists: Jeremy Lipking, Michelle Dunaway, Adrian Gotlieb, Kate Sammons, Vanessa Rothe, Ryan Brown, Michael Klein.
May 2016 "REPIN ACADEMY, AMERICAN ACADEMY” at Laguna College of Art and Design, Fine Art May 2016 A Drawing exhibition comparing academic work done at the St Petersburg academy and Laguna College of Art and Design.
May 2016 “American Impressionist Society Annual Juried Show" Mountain Trails Gallery Park City Utah. Signature Member
January 2016 "Coastline and Landscape Collection" The Gallery at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Beach Artists: Michael Logan 9 1950-2015 , Jeff Sewell, Vanessa Rothe
March 2016 "IMPRESSION" at ABEND GALLERY DENVER, CO, March 11th, 2016 Curated by Vanessa Rothe & Akhemd Salakhly, along with Abend gallery owners David Ethridge Conner Serr
January 2015 "LA ART SHOW" 20' x 10' Booth #101 California Museum of Fine Art.
2015 "American Impressionist Society Annual Show" Abend Gallery Denver, CO Signature Member
November 2015 "The PARIS SEMINAR" at the Salmagundi Club Artists: Michael Klein, Jeremy Lipking, Michelle Dunaway, Vanessa Rothe, Richard Greathouse, Cornelia Hernes, Stephan Bauman, Adrien Gottlieb, Kate Sammons, Ryan Brown.
2014, 2015 GALERIE DDG Paris, France - Various Group Exhibitions 2 years.
2014 "The Artists Sketchbook" Exhibition at GALLERY MCCOLLUM with Vanessa Rothe Fine Art and Steven Stern Fine Art, in Laguna Beach CA. Contemporary American works combined with Historical Artists Marion Wachtel, Lawton Parker and George Turland
2014 "A California Tradition" GALLERY MCCOLLUM. Leading California landscape artists, are exhibited side by side with historical CA artists. Patrick Tobin, Bill Ogden, and Michael Logan Vanessa Rothe, Ray Roberts, and Jesse Powell.
September 2014 CALIFORNIA MUSEUM OF FINE ART "Realism Without Borders” Torrance CA.
2013 "Realism Without Borders" Laguna College of Art and Design Gallery at One Laguna, 225 Forest Ave Laguna Beach, CA
"Port and Starboard" 1, 2 and 3 DH Gallery on Balboa Island June 2013, 2014 and again 2016 Summer. East meets west international artists curated by Rothe.
2013 BOWERS MUSEUM, SANTA ANA, CA "Russian Impressionism Meets American Impressionism" at Tanaga.
2013 California Art Club , "Beyond Boundaries" Randy Higbee Gallery Costa Mesa CA
2012 "Realism Without Borders" Paul Scott Gallery Russia, Scottsdale AZ Imported International fine art works by 45 artists from America and Russia, co curated with Akhmed Salakhly, from St Petersburg Academy.
2012 "California Coast" at the RITZ CARLTON Laguna Niguel gallery, CA,
2011 Palm Desert/La Quinta PLEIN AIR . Group plein air competition and Exhibition at Indian Wells Country Club
2011 California Art Club at the Old Mill, Spring Exhibit, Spring Group Exhibition
2009 Exhibiting Artist, J. Willott Gallery El Paseo Palm Desert California, Paris works Group Exhibition
2009 California Art Club, Artist member Group Exhibition at the BOWERS MUSEUM CA
2008 CODA GALLERY, American Impressionist Society Annual Exhibition, El Paseo Palm Desert California.
2008 J WILLOTT GALLERY on El Paseo Palm Desert California, California scenes Group Exhibition
2008 Lpapa Annual Fine Art Exhibition, Group Exhibition
2007 Lpapa Annual Fine Art Exhibition, Group Exhibition
2006 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach , Solo Exhibition "Provence to Paris"
2006 RICHARD SCHMID FINE ART AUCTION GROUP EXHIBITION AND SALE
2005 RICHARD SCHMID FINE ART AUCTION GROUP Exhibition and Sale
2005 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach , Solo Exhibition "Colors of Provence"
2004 RICHARD SCHMID FINE ART AUCTION GROUP EXHIBITION AND SALE
2004 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach, Solo Exhibition "A Portrait of France"
2003 RICHARD SCHMID FINE ART AUCTION GROUP Exhibition and Sale
2003 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach CA Solo Exhibition “Paris and Provence”
2003 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach, CA Group Exhibition "Emerging Artists"
2002 BENNINGTON CENTER OF THE ARTS “Artist’s for a New Century” Award and Exhibition, Vermont.
2002 WENDT GALLERY Laguna Beach, CA Group Exhibition "Women, Wine and Roses"
Select Achievements
Signature Artist Member American Impressionist Society- juried 2010 - to present
Paris Galerie DDG, American Artist in Paris honorary award, 2014
Voted "Artist for a New Century" by Bennington Center of the Arts 2010
Wendt Gallery "Best Aspiring Artist" and Gallery Representation, Laguna Beach 2002
Deans List Magna Cum Laude, Laguna College of Art and Design 2002-2004, 2016 and 2018
Festival of Arts Scholarship $1,000 per unit fine art courses 1988 4 consecutive years.
1st place Senior Art Contest -Laguna Beach High School California 1988
