Biographical Notes

Leslie  Harry  Rohacek  was born in Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  a small  city in the heart of  "Amish Country" on the "main line" tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad 67 miles west of Philadelphia. His elementary school years were spent in Millersville, a quiet college town three miles south of Lancaster.  The town had two gasoline stations, a Mennonite orphanage, at least seven churches, a little grocery store and by 9 p. m.  everyone in town was sleeping.

As a boy growing up in Millersville, Leslie loved hiking and playing in the many streams, fields, wooded areas and farms surrounding the town.  Leslie spent summer evenings chasing fireflies or wondering at the stars.  He spent many cold winter nights looking at icy moonlight surrealistically reflecting from newly fallen snow.  This constant exposure to the magnificence of nature is the foundation  for his high  regard and  deep respect  for the  wonder and beauty of the natural world  around us.  And this influence can  be seen in his paintings today

. 
When Les, was ten, his family moved to Miami on the tropical tip of Florida.  Here was a unique New World completely different from anything he had ever experienced. Strange animals, exotic plants and a new kind of darker skinned people with Cuban ancestry speaking another language were now all part of his reality.  For him, this change from cold winter solitude and rural farms to palm trees and white sandy beaches under the hot tropical sun broadened his universe tremendously.

Les started to work with his art seriously at Miami-Palmetto Senior High School.  As a result of his talent and high grades, he was awarded a scholarship to Miami-Dade Junior College.  Because of his outstanding achievement, the scholarship was renewed for the second year.  With an Associate Arts degree in hand Les returned to Lancaster to further his education but fine art did not seem a practical way to earn a living.  After working on a farm, in a factory and driving a taxicab Les graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in art education.  Les began teaching high school level art classes the following September in Hallam, Pennsylvania.  The provincial attitude and restrictive nature of the situation in which he found himself quickly disillusioned him.  After much thought and soul searching Les decided to let someone else "save the world" and he left the profession. 

• Home Page
  
• Artwork
  
• Artist's Notes
  
• Biography
  
• Photoprints
  
• Sales
  
• Contact Us
  
• Links
  

Old enough to know better but young enough to do it anyway, Les embarked upon a cross-country journey that would alter his life.   He resisted settling down and instead took a series of odd jobs while visiting the small towns of America where he would find inspirations for paintings that would come later.  Temporary jobs earned him enough money to gas up his truck and eat for a few days.  Gradually, the visual expression of his thoughts and experiences took a much higher priority over all his plans.  The artist within him was emerging.  His daily decisions became more dependent upon him having the time and resources to devote to his art.  He became aware of himself as an artist--not as a choice but as a natural destiny.  This was an important time in Les' life and many facets of these travels are interwoven with the brushstrokes of the oil paints that now reside upon his canvases.

After creating paintings for himself and his close friends for many years, Les began to show his work professionally in 1980.  He has since been in many fine shows including the Sacred Heart Academy Invitational Show in Bellevue, WA, The Adam East Gallery Museum and Art Center in Moses Lake, WA, The Edmonds Art Festival in Edmonds WA, The Belle Arte Concert Series at Forest Ridge Academy in Bellevue WA, and the 1998 Pacific Northwest Annual Exhibit in Bellevue, WA.  His work can be found in many homes in the Seattle vicinity as well as Eastern Washington, California, Oregon, Canada, Okinawa and Germany.  His corporate collectors include Continental Mills of Seattle WA and Bass Associates, Inc. of Kirkland WA.

Mr. Rohacek often paints late into the night when daily activities and distractions are at a minimum.  This allows him to maximize his concentration and creative abilities.  He is currently residing just north of Seattle, WA but travels extensively for inspiration and pleasure.  The little  silhouetted  dog he has chosen  as a symbol  was inspired by past canine companions. 

Artwork