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.
BLOG CATEGORIES
ALL BLOGS
The Quench Project – Overview
MEDIA RELEASE 2-25-25 For more information please email Robert or contact him by phone at 843-486-3161. Here's the latest on The Quench Project I am now sponsoring two extraordinary individuals whom I met in Haiti, back in 2015 at the Bread Of life Orphanage in...
Heritage Lost and Found
Our Public and Private Dramas, Played Out Through Art Last week the White House moved the portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush from a place of prominence. Taken alongside Mr. Trump's unwillingness to dedicate the official portraits of the Obamas, it seems...
The Artist’s Soul
The Battle for the Artist's Soul This Fran Lebowitz quote seems quite offensive today, where art has been so thoroughly democratized. I don’t subscribe to this perspective, of course. But there is a grain of truth in it. I would only add, for those interested in the...
The Angel Oak
The Process of Painting the Angel Oak This is my largest work on stretched linen canvas. The painting is 5' x 7.' Yes, that's right, I said FIVE feet! It was commissioned by our neighbor/friends Amy and Justin Couch, who needed a large piece as a focal point with...
Shall We Overcome?
Replacing Hate with Love People upset by the removal of Confederate or racist statues like John C. Calhoun think of it as an effort to alter history. As an artist, I take very seriously the removal of artwork which might be aesthetically beautiful, or be a familiar...
Portrait of Bill Brusilow
Portraits don't always have to take themselves too seriously Everyone knows I love portraiture, that I love to study the human form and look deeply into my subjects. The process is compelling and there is no end to the what there is to learn about the subject. I have...
Life in the Corona
Corona, noun. A part of the body resembling or likened to a crown. I've railed about white privilege in the past but now the issue may actually be resonating among those of us who have been enjoying it the most. I’m well aware of the bias of mine and my fellow whites....
Who’s Looting Who?
The murder of George Floyd has revealed a breach in our "Social Contract." What is happening right now has been happening every day for more than 350 years. We just keep turning a blind eye. When are we going to wake up to the real looting going on? Massive bailouts...
Portraits Are Our Personal Legacy
POETraits Every now and then, I have the privilege to hear from the subjects of portraits I did as many as forty years ago, when I first started doing commission portraits. Here is a current photo of Dianna and Kara, whose portrait I did about 35 years ago. I was/am...
Goddess of the Universe
We are all one with the cosmic dust of the multiverse I love it when a client/friend asks me to go outside the box and use my creativity. Who said a portrait has to be all about how we normally look? Sometimes I fancy myself to be soaring among the stars. Maija had an...
Shortages
We’ve all been experiencing a run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer. But you may not be aware of the extreme shortages in portraits and fine art that are gripping the nation. People are falling over themselves to get the proper fix of meaning and inspiration, a...
The Next “New Normal”
What if the world stopped turning? What if everything just stopped? We're now as close as we'll ever get to an answer to that question. We are experiencing a grand pause. A huge reset button has been pushed. Even our enslavement is on pause. For a brief moment in...
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
The grand arbiter of taste, who definitely would not recognize a Van Gogh if it hit them in the face. Apologies to all those who've awarded me over the years, and to those who didn't. One reason I detest authority. When I've played the role of juror, I always feel it necessary to write about each of the works, something kind and something to work on. I see the role of juror is not to judge, but uplift and encourage people who've put their heart and soul on the line.i usually pick the piece most reasonable people would agree is award worthy. I think contests should be there to support deep study and commitment to the purpose of art, which is to open our eyes to something heretofore unseen. It is the jurors job to see the artists' work, so the artists know they have been seen. ...
This content isn't available right now
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.Evil's Place, another collaboration with Nick Cerrato. I know you can't zoom in on insta so I will tell you God is pressing the devil into his place, while multiple figures reacts to the battle of good vs evil. NFS ...
Brando as Col. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, from an iconic photo, just for fun. ...
What is talent? ...
Do check out this podcast. There may be just what you need to hear right now. ...
...
This content isn't available right now
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.