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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The Avant Garde vs Everyone Else?
In recent years, Charleston has discovered the Avant Garde. It is very liberating when this freedom of expression comes to a city. Charleston is lucky to have great people and institutions leading the movement. City Gallery and Redux come to mind right away. More and...
Beauty and the Beast
Our family rented the movie, Beauty and the Beast, last night. Cate and I find it very moving, in all its incarnations. I've never fully understood why this particular story has such power for me. Here's one attempt at an answer. The beauty represents our longing for...
Mire of desire
Many of us believe artists are the mirrors of society. It is my intention that this collection of paintings, currently on the walls at Fabulon, gets us to look at the nature of desire. Here's my exhibition statement: This exhibition, "The Quench Project and the mire...
Portrait of Rocky
Rocky Lives! To celebrate Rocky's twelve years (and counting) on this Earth, Mary and Gren, his mom and dad, decided to have an oil portrait. Love, devotion, fondness don't begin to describe the feelings this animal has engendered from his family. I'm sure they would...
Start with the Idea
"Find the art in yourself, not yourself in the art." Constantin Stanislavski People often tell me they really want to be an artist and ask me what they should do to become successful. Most of them have stars in their eyes and are looking at me to feed their ego. "Do...
Media Release – May 25, 2017
Updated 7-3-17 Contact: Susan Irish (843) 566-3383 or Robert Maniscalco (313) 689-2993 for more information The Quench Project and the Mire of Desire at FABulon Charleston, SC. Robert Maniscalco will present new paintings from The Quench Project and recent sketches...
One Love Collective Movement
The One Love Collective is a movement of Charleston designers and makers, creating and collaborating, in an effort to showcase and identify Charleston design. The following was one of several articles written by Hannah Nelson, highlighting each member of the...
A Father’s Bar Mitzvah Blessing
Danny became a Bar Mitzfah on May 20, 2017 He presented and chanted with poise, grace and confidence. As a father, I could not be more proud of his accomplishment. Following was the blessing I gave him: In a world riddled with chaos and animosity, it is my sincerest...
Change the Award System – Empower Artists
As a promised followup to my recent Artfields 2017 wrap up I would like to share some radical ideas about the award system in art competitions that I think might lead to truly empowering artists in our society. If we really want artists to be the mirror of society...
ARTFIELDS 2017
Art as an Interruption Artfields 2017 was, as always, an inspiring experience. Cate and I love going to Lake City, SC and talking about the meaning and role of art in our society. I strongly believe Artfields and the other mega award shows, like ArtPrize in Grand...
A Common Vision
When I was president of WCCAHH I noted there were over 600 arts organizations in Wayne County, many with very similar missions and visions. I wondered how we could get them to combine efforts and resources to create a more meaningful impact on the community. That...
All Our Yesterdays
Something got a hold of me and I decided to convert some of the old films I acted in back in my NYC days into DVDs. I made these in the late 80s and they look a bit dusty. They were mostly shot on 16 m and shown at student film festivals. They were the final projects...
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Nothing Celebrates the legacy of your children or your grandchildren for their grandchildren, like an oil portrait.
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Two paintings. One a commission portrait of Gedney Howe III. Another an exploration of "Unintended Consequences." Both part of "Identity and Self," an exhibition at Park Circle Gallery, open wed-Sat. Until April 25th! Disappointed my brand of realism is not in vogue at the moment. But I'm aware fashions come and go. I know my art will endure. What do you think? ... See MoreSee Less
A competent portrait of the former president.  ... See MoreSee Less
At a portrait unveiling at Syracuse University on April 14, 2026, Joe Biden jokingly called Board Chair Jeffrey Scruggs to the stage, asking the crowd, “Doesn’t he look like Barack?” Biden quipped that he often mistook Scruggs for Obama. While the audience laughed, some found the moment awkward. The event celebrated Biden’s legacy at his law school alma mater
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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.Behind the Scene 11x 14″ original #oilpainting on linen, framed by the artist. A behind the scenes look at the glorious #sunflower, the great back actor. This is a continuation of my micro series where we take a closer look at #Common objects found in #nature. this is an homage to the iconic Van Gogh #painting with the similar perspective of the underneath of a Sunflower. ... See MoreSee Less
Unintended Consequences 96″ x 30″ oil on panel
The Three Perspectives:
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EAGLE: Look at me. I know what I am doing. My glorious mission gives me certain rights. Certain allowances. My voice is louder than yours. But that’s not what makes me right. Yes, I am intentional. I know what I want. And I speak for millions. While you speak for no one. | But the thing that makes me right, is that I speak for God, because I know he is with me because I feel his presence and His righteousness in my blood. That’s what makes me right. | Look at me. I’m perfect. Determined. My team will always win. Why? Because God is on our side. And if my team doesn’t win the battle, we will win the war. | And if we don’t win the war it will be because we failed to listen to God OR the devil corrupted our intentions. Therefore we must destroy evil, wherever it appears. We will find it together and we will flush it out. | Trust that I am in control and that God is with me. If you fail to obey me, as God’s chosen vessel, you will surely parish. You cannot hide from my eye. You cannot resist my charisma. Fear me if you must. Love me if you’re willing. But obey me, for I am your only hope.
DOG: Look at me. Do you think I need help? You think I’m weak. But I’m not. Sometimes I feel so big and strong, even though I know I’m not very strong or smart. But one thing I do know, is that he is strong. My leash tender. I trust the strength of those who know. His certainty is my comfort. My leash tells me I am in good hands. My collar is my Shepard; I shall not want.
GIRL: Look at me. I am flying. I’m flying high above the fray. God is with me. Nature is with me. We are one. God will protect me because I trust Him. I know God is IN the Eagle and the dog. And I know I am part of a larger story. The journey I am on is longer than my life or the dog’s life, or the Eagle’s life. It began long before I was born and it will never end. I am safe in the knowledge that I will never die. So nothing can harm me. I am at peace. ... See MoreSee Less