ARTIST STATEMENT
From early morning as the sky slowly turns from a dense black to an endless palette of colors, to high noon when the sun is bright and straight up above, to a spectacular evening as the sun begins its dissent towards a quiet horizon, my work captures the essence of living in the South. I refer to my painting style as modern expressionism in which I purposely distort reality to express a particular mood, feeling or thought. I often exaggerate colors and shapes while over emphasizing brush strokes and gestural marks to build the framework of something recognizable. Very often, it’s not what I paint, but what I don’t paint that invites the viewer to complete the image in their mind.

BIO
Robert is a contemporary artist from the Richmond metropolitan area. His paintings are influenced from his extensive travels throughout Europe and the Middle East and from his passion with the beaches, inlets and marshes along the North Carolina coastline. As a life-long sportsman, Robert is inspired by the outdoors, which is reflective in many of his paintings. While he does not consider himself a “landscape” painter, he often describes his works as “accidental landscapes”. His paintings vary from heavily textured pieces that utilize organic elements such a cement and marble dust to works in which he applies multiple layers of acrylic washes to achieve atmospheric qualities. Robert works primarily in Acrylic, Oil and Cold Wax.

A graduate of Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, NC with a Graphic Design degree, Robert has served as an Illustrator with the Department of Defense, an adjunct professor teaching Airbrush Illustration at John Tyler Community College and a free-lance Illustrator for Ad agencies and corporate clients throughout Virginia. In 2004, Robert transformed his skills from a structured graphic design professional into an artist creating beautifully crafted abstract paintings.

Robert is an exhibiting member of the Metropolitan Richmond Artists Association and lives and maintains a studio in Chesterfield, VA. His favorite colors are black and orange. 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 “Nothing But Flowers”, Virginia Commonwealth Univ (VCU) Health, Gateway Gallery, Richmond, VA
2023 “southern EXPOSURE”, Perkinson Center for the Arts, Chester, VA
2023 "Carolina by the Sea", Dare Arts, Manteo, NC
2022 "Other Worlds", Stravitz Sculpture and Fine Art Gallery, Va. Beach, VA 
2018 “Yes, You Can Go Back Home”, Barnes Corner Gallery, Wilson, NC
2018 “Sonnets and Stanzas”, ArtWorks, Richmond, VA
2013 "In the Evening", ArtWorks, Richmond VA
2006 “3 Cities”, ArtWorks, Richmond VA
2005 “Landscapes & Shadows”, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA
2004 “Commercial Grade”, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Annual Show, Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA
2023, (Juried) Durham Art Guild, 69^th Annual Juried Exhibition, Truist Gallery, Durham, NC
2023, (Juried) "Fall Flair", Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, VA
2023 "Summer in the City", MRAA Exhibiting Members Show, Richmond Public Library, Richmond, VA
2023 Spring Show, MRAA Exhibiting Members Show, Truist Gallery, Richmond, VA
2022 Annual Show, Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA
2022 (Juried) "2022 National Multimedia Show, North Carolina Arts Council, WilsonARTS, Wilson, N.C. 
2022 (Juried) "Southern Summer”, ArtWorks Richmond, Richmond, VA
2022 "Kind of Blue”, Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Cultural Arts Center, Glen Allen, VA
2022, (Juried) "Summer in the Garden", Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, VA
2022, "New Art Now", Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Art Works Richmond, Richmond, VA
2022, RVA First Fridays, Pop-up Exhibition, Richmond Downtown Hilton, Richmond, VA
2022 VIP Lounge, Richmond Downtown Hilton, Richmond, Va
2021 Annual Show, Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA
2021 "MAX EXUBERANCE!”, Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Cultural Arts Center, Glen Allen, VA
2021 "Summertime", Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Suntrust Center, Richmond, VA
2021 "Serenity", Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Glenmore Wellness Center, Richmond, VA
2021 (Juried) "Abstracts Matter" National Juried Show, 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC
2020 Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA
2020 "Reawakening", Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc., SunTrust Center, Richmond, VA
2020 (Juried) "Abstracts Matter" National Juried Show, 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC
2020 "Size Doesn't Matter", Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA
2019 Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc, Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA
2019 (Invited) “Hung Juried”, Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA
2018 (Juried) “Art Speaks”, Bay School Art Center, Mathews, VA
2013 (Juried) “Emerging” 2013, Rawls Museum, Courtland VA

AWARDS
2022 Best In Show, Annual Metropolitan Richmond Artists Assoc Show, Crossroad Art Center, Richmond VA
2014 Honorable Mention, Juried Show, Crossroad Art Center, Richmond VA
2014 Honorable Mention, Juried Show, Side Street Gallery, Chester VA
2014 Honorable Mention, Juried Show, Crossroads Art Center, Richmond VA
2013 2nd Place, Juried Show, Emerging 2013, Rawls Museum, Courtland VA
2013 Best in Show, Juried Show, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA
2013 3rd Place, Juried Show, ArtWorks, Richmond VA
2006 2nd Place, Juried Show, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA
2006 Best in Show, Juried Show, Crossroads Art Center, Richmond VA
2005 3rd Place, Juried Show, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA
2005 Best in Show, Juried Show, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg VA
2005 Best in Show, Juried Show, ArtWorks, Richmond VA

PRINT
The Outer Banks Voice, Coastal Inspired Exhibit at Dare Arts, July 2023
Voyage Raleigh On-Line Magazine, Portraits of Raleigh, April 2023
American Art Collector Magazine, September 2022, “First Blush”

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Metropolitan Richmond Artists Association, Exhibiting Member

GALLERY REPRESENTATION
Stravitz Sculpture and Fine Art Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA
Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA.