Robert blogs on art, creativity, politics, CSA, religion and culture. Many overlap into multiple categories, like motivational or random favorites. Robert is a life-long artist, writer, musician & actor, a professional creative his entire adult life. Born in 1959 in Detroit, he has lived in New York, New Orleans and currently in Charleston. His commission portraits and fine art are part of over a thousand collections throughout North America. Read his bio.
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Justin Time
We had a wonderful Holiday Party / Portrait Demonstration last evening at the Summerville Art Guild. Justin, my awesome neighbor agreed to pose and I think it came out rather well. I love it when my work is so appreciated. And I really enjoy painting from life with a...
Seeing as an Artist
"Who am I anyway? Am I my resume?" from A Chorus Line What is in our identity that makes us who we are? What is it in a person's face, that if we capture it, we call it a likeness? People boast, "I never forget a face." What is it in a face that is so...
Podcast Hit the Mark
Welp, the live podcast went very well, I have to say. It flowed easily and we covered a lot of ground about CSA. My hope is that what we talked about was helpful to others who are struggling with the recovery. You need not suffer alone. NAASCA and many other programs...
Perpetrators and Survivors
In response to releasing "The Destroyer" out into the universe, a lot of insights (and incites) have emerged. I will share a few of mine now. The video, is not intended to resolve the epidemic of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Resolution of that problem, so deeply rooted in...
The Destroyer
TRIGGER ALERT - Mature content. Light This video (below) may be challenging for those recovering from Child Sexual Abuse. That is the intention. It is a poem, created from the perspective of the abuser. It was intended as a therapeutic exercise in empathy, by me, and...
Hush Little Child
Why Does the biggest issue of our time not get discussed in national politics? Sexual violence pervades every system in our society from the highest governmental institutions to our own homes. It is in our blood. I'd go so far as to say it is the American way:...
Watching Democracy Fall
Republicans are enthusiastically voting to make our country unsafe, under insured, uneducated, underpaid, underfed, uninformed, unable to vote. Why? Because at the end of the day they believe themselves immune from such misfortunes. Bad things only happen to those who...
Empathy for a Survivor
For 1 in 16 US women, first sexual intercourse experience was rape, study says. As a survivor, I find this is extremely troubling, to be sure. But I also wish they had gathered statistics on male CSA. My first sexual experience was being raped by a trusted family...
The Math of the Holocaust
I am a Christian, the father of two Jewish children and I am active in their synagogue. I’m also an artist, theatrician, writer and amateur mathematician. So let's do some math around the Holocaust. Have you ever wondered why there are hundreds of churches for every...
A Judge of Character
The portrait itself came about after a months long collaboration, where together we came up with elements and a pose that would express Judge Steib’s legacy and world view.
ForEVAN Young
They say a portrait may be your best shot at immortality. At least, we know a portrait will likely outlive us. But the oil portrait is also an opportunity to recapture our youth, while we're alive to appreciate it. At least that's the case with Evan, who finally...
Authoritarianism vs Democracy
How about a little perspective? We are not in the midst of a battle between Conservatism and Democratic Socialism. We are in a battle between authoritarianism and democracy. What makes other western democracies work so well is they have struck a healthy balance...
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
As bad as the first one was, to which he so vehemently objected, the second one is far worse. It's a very scary painting. It is based on his new official photo, which is frightening. THIS IS NOT a criticism of the artists's skills. He looks like a monster, right out of the 1950s. You had Frankenstein, Dracula, the Werewolf, now comes the Trump. The malevolence is astounding. I guess he thinks it makes him look powerful and intimidating. I think they accurately reflect the dark soul of the subject. ... See MoreSee Less
New Trump portrait donated by White House hangs in Colorado Capitol after earlier one drew his ire
apnews.com
Last spring, Trump posted on social media that Sarah Boardman “must have lost her talent as she got older” and “purposely distorted” him, criticisms the Colorado Springs artist denied.Thanks Sue Jaissle Williams for bringing this story to my attention. It's a double whammy. Of course, there's the portrait connection; she's quite an artist. But also, I've been dealing with mine and now my kids social anxiety for years. It's a real thing, exacerbated by COVID and the current political polarization.
I think the way Molly chose to deal with it is absolutely brilliant. I've always said, there's no stopping a person of reasonable intelligence and perspicacity, from achieving mental wellness. I particularly appreciate how Molly owned the problem, an essential first step to any healing process. ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.About Having a Maniscalco Portrait - Maniscalco Gallery ... See MoreSee Less
About Having a Maniscalco Portrait - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
When I think about the subject for a portrait I try to do is get a sense of how they move through space, their rhythm and energy.Check out my new video, "A Legacy Portrait" on my commission portrait page and just follow the floating head!
I explore legacy and the why of portraiture.
Have you ever seen an oil portrait that evoked a
memory, connection or feeling? ... See MoreSee Less
About Having a Maniscalco Portrait - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
When I think about the subject for a portrait I try to do is get a sense of how they move through space, their rhythm and energy.ICYMI, I am extending this Family Portrait offer to the end of June! Check it out!
#portraitpainting #portraitartist #portrait #portraitart #oilportraitpainting #selfportraiture #selfpower #proudfamily #familypride #Celebratethelight #capturethemoment
maniscalcogallery.com/family-portrait-offer/ ... See MoreSee Less
There are people who understand the collaborative process and actually enjoy jamming and building an idea with an artist they respect.
Here I invite you to read my thoughts about the commission process.
#commission #commissionart #commissionartist #customart #artondemand #MakingArtMagic #MakingArtWork #commissionportrait
#portraitpainting #portraitartist #portrait #portraitart #oilportraitpainting #selfportraiture #selfpower #proudfamily #familypride #Celebratethelight #capturethemoment ... See MoreSee Less
A Commission as Collaboration - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
There are people who understand the collaborative process and actually enjoy jamming and building an idea with an artist they respect.