Meet Roehl Acosta | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Roehl Acosta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roehl, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I don’t think the question exactly fits my case but more of the other way around. I was surrounded by very creative people from the start. From my grandmother to my father and the biggest factor of all, the infinite support of my mother. At a very early age, I was fascinated by my grandmother’s drawings and my father’s watercolors which eventually led me doing the same. Taking numerous art classes and workshops up to secondary school which led to a more serious commitment and took up fine arts in college and majoring in industrial design. I could say I was heavily influenced by my father. My father’s love for woodworking is where I learned the intricacies of said medium. He helped me develop my woodworking skills when he’s not busy doing his “lawyering”. This took me in one direction and my father’s passion for cars took me into another. They were parallel paths which at that time seemed irrelevant for the things I would be doing in the future. I learned metalcraft, welding and custom painting in my father’s automotive shops and gave me more options to advance my art further. I’ve always wanted to challenge myself by and through of these otherwise unmalleable materials. Since I migrated in 2012 here in the US, I explored materials unavailable in my native Philippines. Evolving with each piece I created, I still consider myself as an “artist in transition”. Today, I consider my sculptures unique, expertly crafted and capture all of the design elements that were at the origin of my career including: color, lines, shape, texture, form and perhaps most notably, unity. To sum it all up, I was molded to follow the creative life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Since I’m into industrial designing, I’m more exposed with materials not usually associated in the traditional world of sculpting. My love for motorcycles and cars and working and modifying on them which customizing is all about plus my education of designing bring everything together. Design, modern materials and techniques and/or combining traditional materials and methods, makes my work unique which I could say, hardly be seen if at all in the world of art. The journey was never easy but passion will always overcome challenges. I learned from life was always get one or a few steps ahead of everybody. Bring out never before seen pieces and that’s what artists are for. Bringing out “new” pieces and that’s what I want to be known for. Unique and different.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I’ve been here in Florida a mere eight and a half years I haven’t been to many places but my go to place to eat is Miller’s ale house specially on a Thursday for their prime rib or hang out in Atlantic in Delray. Since I’m still basically a tourist here I’d explore Florida with that friend or go to races at Moroso. Unless you guys have a few suggestions which I’m open.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost of course are my parents. Lesley Reed and Barbara Powell who patiently helped in such enormous ways I can’t say thank you enough. My friend and buddy, Simon Cherkasski who made my website possible. The international art book which came out May of last year in which I’m one of the featured artist. ‘Curatorial, Leaders In Contemporary Art Vol. 2’ and of course last but definitely not the least, my good friend Leslie Pfieffer who has been in my corner since the start and a former president of the Wellington Art Society.

Website: https://roehlacosta.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racos_art/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roehl-acosta

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RacosArt

Image Credits
Photography by Barbara Powell