During 1883–1884, he was trained by Christian Krohg and Frits Thaulow at an open air academy in Modum.

As an actor, he performed Hamlet at the National Theatre and also played Oswald in the Norwegian premiere of Ghosts.

He is represented in the National Gallery of Norway with the paintings Fra Kongshavn bad from 1882, Malerskolens atelier på Modum from 1883, and a portrait of Cecilie Thoresen Krog from 1885.

In 1893, he returned to Eastern Norway, and after a summer stay with his sister Helene in Sollia, he went to Kristiania where he began an engagement at the newly opened Carl Johan Theatre.

On 20 November 1893, Løchen committed suicide by gunshot in the forest in the Oslo neighborhood of Ekeberg.