Alfred Alexander Gockel was born in the North Rhine city of Ludinghausen, Germany in 1952. From his earliest days, he was fascinated by the magic of colors on paper. This talent and enthusiasm resulted in the release of his first work of art by a German publisher at the age of 8.

With expressive use of rich, primary colors, Gockel has created an exceptional style that is undeniably unique. His fluid strokes on atmospheric backgrounds, done in the manner of "action painting," have a tremendous universal appeal. It is no wonder that over the last decade, well over 2 million examples of his imagery in various media have been sold in the U.S. art market alone. This incredible exposure has created a demand for this artist's original works, spawning high profile collectors such as Michael Jordan, who now owns several Gockel paintings. Alfred acknowledges the influences of the modern masters Kandinsky, Miro, and Picasso in developing his instantly recognizable imagery.

He currently resides in his native Germany, and in his spare time enjoys playing tennis, and riding his Harley-Davidson through the German countryside.