MISSION:
As an "art spirit" Robert seeks to expand and share his knowledge and experience with others; this outreach includes teaching classes, presenting instructional TV & video programs, workshops, lectures and demonstrations, entitled The Power of Positive Painting©. As host of the acclaimed TV program, "Art Beat," which aired for two seasons (2003-2005) on PBS in Detroit, his goal was to make the visual arts more accessible to the people. Robert is also an accomplished actor, director and musician, finding relationships between a variety of artistic disciplines. As a portraitist and a humanist, he seeks a meaningful exchange with his sitters, with the goal of creating portraits that express something of the soul of the subject.

PORTRAIT ARTIST - 1979-Present
As a portrait artist Robert Maniscalco has created over 850 major works of art since he began this noble work in 1979. These works hang in hundreds of private and public collections throughout North America. He creates about 12 - 15 portraits every year. He has lasted this long because of his dedication to the art of portraiture and his love of people; two essential qualities of a successful portrait artist. Robert has created the portraits of many prominent individuals and their families. Among them, Justices Blair Moody, Eugene Black and Edward Sharpe of the Michigan Supreme Court and Judges Horace Gilmore, Anna Diggs-Taylor, Cornelia Kennedy and Robert Demascio of the Sixth District Court of Appeals of the United States. In addition, he has painted Chris Noth, star of TV's Sex and the City; William McNary, Chairman of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan; John Weinman, Ambassador to Finland, James Tottis, Curator of American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts; Richard Fontaine, President of Barnes and Noble; and E. Ray Scott, Executive Director Emeritus of the Michigan Council of the Arts to name only a few of the over 750 portraits he has had the honor to create over the last 27 years.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MANISCALCO GALLERY - Grosse Pointe, M. 1997-2005
The Maniscalco Gallery was founded in 1997 by Robert Maniscalco as an exhibition space and contemporary art center representing talented local and international artists, both established and emerging. The MG presented six major exhibitions each year and had become a major gallery venue in Detroit’s burgeoning art scene when it closed in 2005. The Maniscalco Gallery was an opportunity to reach out into the community and present the art of fine portraiture in the context of a contemporary art gallery. The Maniscalco Gallery hosted acclaimed exhibitions and special events like Salons, presenting poetry, song, dance, story telling, monologues, discussion and performance art in the context with the visual arts. Other special art events were periodically presented at the MG, such as Wine Tastings, Vernissages and painting parties. The Maniscalco Gallery also presented Community Outreach including Fresh Art Festivals as well as special touring exhibits in non-traditional venues such as night clubs, restaurants parks and private clubs. The Detroit Tasetefest (New Center Area), the Detroit Yacht Club, the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club and the Roostertail are examples of past outreach venues in which the Maniscalco presented programs. The Maniscalco Gallery also offered art instruction, career coaching, custom framing, art consulting services and restoration.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS AND AWARDS:

SELECTED WORKSHOPS, DEMONSTRATIONS, TEACHING:

SELECTED ADJUDICATION, CONSULTATION AND CLINICS PRESENTED:

SELECTED PUBLISHED WORKS:

SELECTED MEDIA:
1997-04 Subject of over 45 newspaper/magazine articles, radio and TV interviews. See Media Links for more complete links. Highlights include:

EDUCATION:

ARTS RELATED MEMBERSHIPS