Optimism Painting

Scott Rohlfs' artwork has one central subject: strong women. His art does not only feature women as the central subjects, it also puts them in positions of power. They command the attention of the viewer. In Scott Rohlfs’ artistic world women are imbued with a fantastical and surreal quality that highlights their feminine attributes in a way that makes them appear almost alien – as if you’re seeing women for the first time in a brand new way. This arresting quality pulls the viewer into the world of the painting. Rohlfs uses acrylic paint to create eye-popping colors, a high-gloss finish, and an almost cartoonish depiction of his subjects. It’s the eyes of his subjects that bring these aspects clearly into focus. The women in his art are always looking back at the viewer. This positioning gives the women in his artwork an agency that is often lacking in most paintings. Viewers are used to looking at paintings, not being looked at by the paintings. This allows his artwork to function as a sort of artistic mirror between the viewer and the subject of the painting. The women are a reflection of the viewer and represent an idealized, colorful, and magnificent version of themselves. This effect is heightened by the distorted, enlarged eyes of the women in his paintings. The eyes force you to engage.