Friends of Western Art Artist of the Year: Francois Koch
Established by the Tucson Festival society and subsequently carried on by the Friends of Western Art, this annual exhibition has acknowledged some of the most highly celebrated western artists in America.
South African-born Francois Koch trained at the Johannesburg School of Art, completing his art degree in 1963. His career started at a large publishing house, where he worked as an illustrator. In 1969, frustrated by the rat race of advertising and having a strong urge to become a painter, he resigned his job and moved to Pretoria, where his job career in fine art started in earnest. During his first solo show in 1971, he received a commission from Volkskas Bank. He has also participated in several international exhibitions since 1987 at the Eveard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, and in the Sotheby’s Wildlife Auction.
He first visited the United States and Canada in 1996 and traveled from Seattle to Florida painting the American landscape. The interest garnered by his American landscapes was a great inspiration to spend more time in the United States. In 1998 he returned and met gallery owner Stuart Johnson in Tucson, Arizona who has been representing Koch ever since. In March 2000 Koch had his first United States solo exhibition at Settlers West and sold out opening night. Koch has exhibited in the annual Masters of the American West Fine Art exhibition and Sale at the Autry National Center since 2001. Koch is a regular participant in the Annual Western Visions Miniature Show in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Francois now resides in Arizona with his wife.
