Andrew Rolla
was of Scottish and Italian decent. He studied painting at the Edinburgh College of Art and then under J. D. Fergusson, the great Scottish colourist in Glasgow, where he also studied classical dance and movement under Margaret Morris. He first exhibited his art at the opening exhibition of Modern Scottish Painting, in the Edinburgh Festival of 1947.
As an actor and dancer Andrew was cast as the lead in the musical 'Brigadoon' performing both in the West End of London and on Broadway, New York. He was also invited to perform at a Royal Variety show in the 1950's by the command of Their Majesty's King George V and Queen Mary.
In 1971, Andrew gave an exhibition at the Wright Hepburn Gallery, London, of paintings and opera designs for 'The Rape of Lucretia' and 'The Consul', which he had directed and designed for the Westminster Festival, whilst on the staff of the London Opera Centre under the auspices of the Royal Opera House.
Movement is the central motivation of his work as a painter, during the sixties and seventies, Andrew exhibited with mixed groups of painters and had a one man show in 1972.
For a number of years he lived in a 15th. century manor house in South East Kent (the garden of England). The English countryside had a strong influence on his later work.
Andrew Rolla's archive and four of his framed works form the Andrew Rolla bequest at the Fergusson Gallery, in the Museum of Perth in Scotland.
For many years a teacher and lecturer in the student World of Theatre, he received in 1968 a Fellowship of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was head of the Stage Movement Department.