About Bob

Over the past decade my paintings have become smaller and flatter as I have to adjust to my physical limitations. They remain inside of the landscape tradition, influenced by artists such as Albert Ryder, Albert York, and Milton Avery. Though not as thick as in previous years, the surface texture adds another dimension, similar to the scarred surfaces of early Italian paintings.

Because I sometimes scrape, push, and pull materials; I prefer working on canvas stapled to a hard surface. I work on about 8-12 paintings daily, adding one element or more to each. In addition to oil paint, I use dry pigments and sand worked into the surface and fixed with spray varnish.

I work on pictures from all angles. There’s no preparatory drawings beforehand. Whatever imagery emerges is organic and may have different interpretations. 

My paintings are inspired by our rural landscape south of Syracuse where I grew up and continue to live. Other imagery relates to travels to California, Nova Scotia, and memories of a family camp that was dear to my heart. I have spent most of my life with limited mobility; now I just want to paint.

My first organized art classes were on Saturdays at the Everson Museum with Marilyn Minter and Geoffrey Dorfman. I received a BFA from Syracuse University after attending SUNY New Paltz and St. Martin’s School of Art. 

Exhibitions include: Owensboro National, Purchase Prize (Hilton Kramer); Canastota Small Works, Best Painting, Golden Art Award (Clement Greenberg); Arnot Art Museum, Best in Show (Douglas Schultz);  Memorial Art Gallery, Outstanding Non-Representational Painting (Lawrence Salander); New York State Biennial; Bicentennial Exhibition, Everson Museum.

Galleries include Jay Caldwell Gallery, Hudson, NY; Chapman Gallery, Cazenovia, NY; Priscilla Wren Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA; Gallery One, Toronto, CA; Kiana Malekzadeh Gallery, NY, NY.