Paul A Rolfes was born October 28, 1984 in Butte, Montana to Joanne (Steve) Gores and Tony (Dulce) Rolfes. He was the youngest of three boys and is survived by his brother Nate (Kenice) Rolfes of Detroit, Michigan and George "Joe" (Hellen-Li) Rolfes of Philadelphia, PA.

The Rolfes', the Gores', the Morris' and the Rimert families all adored Paul and his gentle nature. His Godparents, Rhonda Smith and Tom Morris of Belgrade, Montana, were ardent supporters and never gave up on his mental challenges. His Aunt Thia and Uncle Craig made every effort to see him despite the geographic distance. Paul adored and loved to hang out his two nieces, Cora and Alice Rolfes, of Michigan. And a special mention is needed of his cousin, Katee (Rimert) Robey, whose consistent letters of joy and support made his last year in the "broken system" more bearable. His cause of death is presumably a gunshot wound to the chest. An investigation is ongoing.

Paul spent his childhood in the rural beauty of the Hyalite Canyon outside Bozeman and attended Anderson School. He graduated from Bozeman High School in 2002 and attended one year at MSU, Bozeman. Paul often commented on how lucky he was to have the childhood he had. Summers were spent camping and backpacking in the mountains of Montana. He welded in high school and built a snowboarding rail for friends that is hidden somewhere in the Bridger mountains.

Paul moved to St Paul, Minnesota in 2007 where he started his career as an oil painter.  He worked at Blick Art for the discounts. He rented an art studio in an old warehouse for $50 a month. The windows were large and the ceilings over 20' in height; it was the perfect place for his large canvasses as they often were 5'x7' in size. He painted with strokes planned only in his mind. He experimented with many mediums; from oil to collage to stencil and spray. Mentor and Abstract Artist Lanny Ross' studio was next to Paul's and Paul was always willing to help the elderly artist lift and arrange his paintings for shows. Paul loved hearing the stories of senior men. It was a week ago that we sat in the social security office, and he listened to a veteran narrate everything from dogs to politics for several minutes. Always, he listened patiently and with a smile.

His art often shifted directions. He loved to collaborate and teach. When he spent time with his father, Tony and Dulce (Drysdale) Rolfes in Hawaii, he painted moving seascapes with fluidity. He captured the power of the water that surrounded him with a green and blue gentleness.

Twenty years ago, Paul was introduced to composer Steven Gores. There was an immediate and mutual affinity. Steve bought Paul's art and was one of his biggest advocates. He encouraged him to get into music and bought him several different instruments. His creativity was again, an expression of the world around him. He created line drawings of car designs for his brother, Nate, a design engineer. He created block prints and hand-stamped to-go bags for local businesses. He always wanted to be productive. He loved being around people. One friend commented that Paul always wanted to know your story. He was a great listener.

After a European trip with Steve and Joanne in 2012, and seeing Matisse's home, Paul did a series of stencils and hand-cut collages. He studied the greats: Picasso, Carvaggio, and Banksy were among his favorites. Prolific, he sold pieces at local galleries in the Minneapolis/St Paul area. He helped curate Gallery 13 with Steve Sugarman. Paul did several portraits of famous music and 2-D artists, and his work was featured in Minneapolis' City Pages Magazine.

Together, Steve, Paul and his brother Joe produced two original albums, Kanding Ocean and Red Arrow Sky. Paul had hoped to produce his first solo album, Close your Eyes, before his death. We will publish it in the coming months.

Paul was a world traveler.  He explored Iceland, France, Spain and Italy with Steve and Joanne. While in Paris, the apartment host was so impressed with Paul's inquisitive nature that he gave us a personal tour of the hidden gems of Paris.

Paul spent several weeks traveling through China with his brother Joe and wife Hellen-Li.

Paul's first and most enduring creative patron was avid art collector Jit Bhatia of St Paul, MN.  He was also a business mentor for Paul, and he claims Paul as his second son. He owns The Maharaj, in St Paul, MN. Paul helped him catalogue his immense collections of posters and memorabilia.  Paul was "one of the most hardworking young men he's ever known." They started The Nevermind Gallery together with Jit's son, Inder. We had plans to visit as soon as he was cleared for travel. Jit's collection of Paul's earliest work will be displayed at a future date.

There is a tragic side to Paul's story. He developed schizo-affective schizophrenia at the age of twenty. He spent months in hospitals. Everything was trial and error. When the family moved back to Montana, Paul met his best friend for life, Andrea CrossGuns. She understood and accepted his gifts and limitations with love and guidance. He had so many other friends as well, but a special shout out is needed to Katie, Brian and PJ. Thank you for offering him a safe place to rest with no questions asked.

The family wants to thank Probation Officer Becca Bracken for her advocacy, strength and resilience in these most difficult times.  Also to those who tried to make a difference within the constraints of a ill-equipped court system. And to his HUGE Rodney Street community: thank you for loving him; for reining him in (as best you could), supporting him and understanding his complicated health issues. We all loved him.

We often need reminders: Addiction is not a crime. Mental illness does not equal a death sentence. No more jails for the mentally ill. There will be a march on Monday, November 11, 2024. We meet at the capital at 11:30. More information is on the Facebook page, Justice for Paul Rolfes.

There will be a memorial celebration on December 8 at the Holter Art Museum in Helena, Montana. Doors will open at 5:00 pm. Please join us as we celebrate his family, life, art and our love of music. Bring a memory, a story, or a piece of art. This is our time to share in his memory and send his soul to the heavens. And he always loved a good story. I want to hear him laugh again in us. I will miss his soft smiles and pokey jokes.

A memorial fund has been set up at Valley Bank under Paul Rolfes Memorial Fund. The family will be working on installing a permanent piece of art in the community that speaks to the need for mental health awareness. If we're not able to pass city code, we will establish a scholarship on his behalf.