Francois Koch Works

FRANCOIS KOCH

B    i    o    g    r    a    p    h    y

1944 -

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, art was always the center of Francois’ interest, painting and drawing since childhood. He started selling watercolor landscapes at age 15. He studied art at the Johannesburg School of Art and worked for a number of years as a commercial artist and illustrator.

At age 26, he decided to pursue his lifelong passion of fine art. As a landscape artist he soon established himself as one of South Africa’s foremost landscape and wildlife painters, participating in numerous international wildlife shows and the Wildlife Fund Auction in London. His paintings are included in South African embassies and the South African Presidential residence. Numerous large corporations have acquired his work in their permanent collections such as Millers Breweries, First National Bank, The South African Reserve Bank, South African Tourist Bureau, mining and the prestigious wildlife destination, Mala Mala.

In 1998, he expanded his market to the USA and was invited to show at the Settlers West Gallery in Tucson, AZ. He and his wife, Cilicië, immigrated to the USA and are proud US citizens today residing in Tucson, AZ.

Further success with one-man shows followed and established him as one of the premier American landscape painters. His work is included in major museum shows:

‘The Masters’, Los Angeles, CA; ‘Western Visions’, The National Wildlife Museum, Jackson, WY; ‘Prix de West’ and ‘Small Works, Great Wonders’, National Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, OK; ‘Quest for the West’, Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis. He was honored as 2007 ‘Artist of the Year’ by the Friends of Western Art, Tucson, AZ. Francois’ paintings are in the permanent collections of the National Wildlife Museum, Jackson Hole, WY, The Booth Museum, Cartersville, GA, and the Eiteljorg Museum, IN. He has also been featured in Western Art magazine, Southwest Art magazine, Western Art Collector and Art of the West magazine.

Notable Awards and Achievements:

2007: Friends of Western Art, Tucson, AZ: ‘Artist of the Year’

2008: Autry Museum, CA, ‘Masters of the American West’: Southwest Art Magazine Award

Articles:

2002 Art of the West Magazine

2006 PBS Featured Artist: Arizona Illustrated

2007 Western Art Collector

2009 Art of the West Magazine

2010 Western Art Collector

2010 Southwest Art Magazine