There lives in our midst, in the village of Delhi, a small gem of an artist. Bronka Stern Rochmis, a tiny woman of ninety years and vast talent, lights up as she tells of her long and varied career. "I was a dancer when I was young. Sculpture was foreign to me, then I became terribly involved in it---for 40 years." The evidence of that involvement is clear throughout her large old house. One room is set aside as a gallery which showcases numerous impressive sculptures in different mediums. Heavy tables in the parlor and hallway hold carvings of sleek wood and works in stone. Even the kitchen displays several small pieces of Rochmis' art. Rochmis came to the United States from Warsaw, Poland when she was about nine or ten years of age, along with her parents and two older brothers and sisters. A younger brother had died as an infant. The family settled in New York City and Rochmis found herself in the world of dance for which she had a deep love and talent. However, she was sidelined by a knee injury which ended her dance career. An artist by nature, Rochmis discovered sculpture and began creating modernistic works of art. She began working in terracotta, then expanded to wood and stone. In her works, she often incorporates items that just happen to be lying within her reach. In one glossy wooden sculpture, "The Silent Butler," if one peers closely, one will see that several Lincoln Logs have been embodied into the piece. Many pieces, especially the works in wood, enlist movement in their design, by way of concealed rods of metal. In many of Rochmis' works, one can easily detect human figures relating to each other. One large piece, created from teak, depicts a man and woman with the wood carved in such a way that the two pieces elegantly fit together. On the mantel sit several carvings in stone which portray Rochmis' son, Neil, in various stages of growing up. In his mother's carvings, Neil grows from a young boy to a fifty year-old man. Of her son, Rochmis speaks fondly. "We are GOOD friends, not just mother and son. We are friends." Rochmis was married twice, first to Harry Katz and later to Fred Rochmis. Besides her son, she has a daughter-in-law, Susan and a granddaughter, Louisa. She describes very close family ties. Rochmis speaks utterly casually of her talent. "I just find leftover pieces and put them to use." It takes some grilling to get her to talk of her abilities. She describes one handsome piece: "I made this from a little log of ebony." She waves aside words of admiration and looks frankly amazed that she is receiving such attention. Besides her sculpture, Rochmis is a painter of merit. Her bright, modernistic paintings adorn her walls alongside of paintings done by her granddaughter. One of Louisa's paintings is of Rochmis herself, capturing her grandmother's essence delightfully. Rochmis has exhibited her works in galleries on Long Island and in New York City, including the prestigious Whitney. Numerous libraries also displayed her art. Now her gallery is her home, and visitors can admire both the art and the artist, here in Delhi.
Bronka Rochmis describes the moving intricacies of one of her many sculptures
