Local residents have an opportunity to learn the art of painting from a professional artist during the next couple of months. Sandra Zylla-Rolf will be teaching a six to eight-week acrylic painting course through Becker Community Eduction beginning Oct. 15.

Rolf herself was taught to paint by her father, award-winning artist Ken Zylla, whose paintings have been sold around the United States and 17 other countries.

“He was the best teacher I could have ever had,” she said. “It was hands on.”

Zylla taught art classes out of his home located between Hamel and Elk River and had an art gallery in Plymouth. In the ‘80s he began going to shows and selling his prints. Starting with scenic paintings, he branched out into other subjects, and was one of the first to use old cars as a theme for his paintings.

Rolf managed his gallery and did all his framing from 1987 to 2004, and as her own talent progressed her father began featuring her artwork as well.

The gallery moved to Rogers in 2000, closing in 2004. In his later years the calendar company Brown and Bigelo hired Zylla to paint scenes for their calendars, which he did from 2000 until he passed away in 2017. Because he worked two years in advance, the last calendar he was featured in just came out in 2019.

Shortly before her father passed away, Rolf had the inspiration to create a series of paintings with scenes of motorcycles and vintage cars that featured comedian Jay Leno. (Leno is known for his passion for both). She sent Leno a photograph of the first painting and received his permission to sell prints of it. 

“It was the last print of mine my dad saw,” said Rolf. “He told me he was impressed. It was the first time I’d ever heard him say that about anyone’s work.”

Along with selling her prints and painting for commission, Rolf has had her art on display in St. Cloud at the Paramount, U.S. Bank and the Convention Center. She’s also been teaching art classes out of her home for a number of years and taught at the Paramount Art Center.

In 2004 Becker Furniture World hosted an art contest and Rolf won People’s Choice with her painting of a black bear family fishing in a stream, as well as second place for her painting of a cowboy herding cattle across a stream.

She and her husband have lived in Becker for the past 15 years. Her goal its to one day own a studio in town.

“I like the community,” she said. “People are so friendly.”

Students taking her upcoming community education class will be recreating one of Rolf’s own paintings, which features a white tailed buck standing in snowy woods near a deer stand. Rolf will guide everyone through the process step by step from beginning to end.

“My goal with the class is to have a lot of fun and create new artists,” she said. “I want them to do paintings on their own once they learn how easy it is to do this.”

The first in the series of classes begins Oct. 15, students must be registered by Oct. 8. The classes will be held at the Becker High School art room from 6 to 9 p.m., cost is $135. To register visit the community education office at the high school or visit becker.k12.mn.us and click on the community education tab.