Growing up in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Rochelle developed her artistic skills early on in life. When her mother ran out of ideas to keep her entertained, Rochelle was brought to the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Association (BBAA) to take classes in drawing, ceramics and jewelry design.

She was bitten by the bug, and from then on was never found without a sketch pad on hand. Interestingly, with the multitude of art classes she took in high school, Rochelle found her favorite class was gemology, where she spent her time cutting her own stones and making jewelry from them.

Her artistic passion sent her to the International Fine Arts college in Miami Florida where she studied Ad design and Illustration followed by classes at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale.

Rochelle then moved back to Michigan to work at an illustration and design studio. Additionally, at art & craft shows, she began to show her work, which included painted flowerpots and refinished furniture.

While currently living in Illinois, she works on children’s illustration as well as creating beautiful works of fine art that highlight her love of nature. She was drawn to all animals in nature, but particularly to butterflies.

Her motto is, “The brighter the better.” Working with her own creative visions and through extensive research she finds her inspiration. Searching through books, magazines and the internet helps to further her work.

Her technique is to work on Illustration board (watercolor paper backed by heavy cardboard). She begins by mapping out her subject in pencil and then the magic happens. Rochelle follows her instincts to pick the right colored pencils and finds that works better for her than choosing them in advance. “Typically, I start with the eyes. Once I start, if the eyes look good to me, I know the piece is going to work the way I envision it.”