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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Drawing for the Ages
Drawing for the ages Ridge came to my studio for a quick sketch this morning. He was a delightful model and his mom really liked the drawing. Ridge was a very patient model for a 5 year old! I really enjoy sketching from life and as I always tell my students, life...
No More Smooshing Paint Around
Getting it Right the First Time Rather than getting the wrong value on your brush and then working it into the painting, try getting the right value on your palette and painting directly onto the canvas, without apology. Smooshing the paint around only weakens the...
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Joe Maniscalco Returns Fom the hey-day of illustration Here's one of the vintage Joe Maniscalco illustrations I have re-purposed. I wonder what they were used for originally. They are masterfully painted in the hey-day of illustration. I was thinking of other...
Joe Maniscalco Illustrations
Joe Maniscalco Retrofitted I've really been enjoying excavating my father's legacy by digging out these vintage illustrations and re-captioning them. I am re-purposing and compiling images of his and my work, along with witty and not-so-witty aphorisms into a coffee...
Fold in the Light
This is from an art lesson yesterday in class. Want to express folds in drapery or in skin? You must understand how forms behave in the light. Here is a fold depicted in light, side view and top view. There is a hard cast shadow on the left side. And there is a soft...
Aspire to Happiness
This life therefore is not righteousness but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing not being but becoming, not rest, exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it. The process is not yet finished but it is going on. This is not...
Trouble with Trifles
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oESvmg0W_dc[/youtube] Captain James T. Kierkegaard to the Rescue What is a disagreement but a trifle? What makes a healthy debate over ideas into a conflict, an essential disagreement? Without preliminary understanding there...
Golf Portrait
Look dad, I did it! As my very first friend once told me, "Rob, there are two kinds of people: boaters and golfers." Well here are a couple golfers. This was a particularly meaningful portrait for me, as it expresses a father's love for his son. I enjoy a bit of...
The God Factor
Most theologies would support that God is more about how things are connected than in how the are separate. Drawing is a celebration of the connections between forms. Therefore, these connections might be thought 0f as a celebration of God; the more connections,...
Beauty
As I approach the first anniversary of y marriage to Cate (June 1), I am re-sharing the poem I wrote soon after we reconnected. In that moment, I realized I'd found the love of my life. I pray for all who long for love to know it's waiting for you too, if you are...
Psalm
PSALM Opening my eyes to the God I see in you, I see myself being seen in loving praise of all that is. Now, dear other, cry for the children without the words to plea, the savvy to endure, the tenacity to wait, unprotected by the healthy boundaries those of us,...
Dear Bully, Yeah You (Me)
Dear Bully, yeah you (me), I can see you don't go around pushing people, insulting them, sticking their hair in inkwells, that sort of thing. But you do single people out. You find something you don't like about them. You may not even know exactly what it is, but...
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
Old Guy - Maniscalco Gallery ... See MoreSee Less
Old Guy - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
This old guy modeled for a workshop twenty years ago and I always wanted to paint him. So here he is. I enjoyed creating the sparkle of color in his flesh.What should you expect from a Legacy portrait? Hint: it's not a trick question. ... See MoreSee Less
The Real Deal - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
Having a portrait is a sacred trust for me. I have worked hard over my 45 year career so I can guarantee an excellent result.I love the diversity of expression out there in the artworld. Here's a little information about my painting style and philosophy. ... See MoreSee Less
Expressive Realism - Maniscalco Gallery
maniscalcogallery.com
I prefer this way of working because it preserves a certain level of artistic integrity, the "backbone" of the work. It is more interesting,I guarantee you'll love your portrait. I will make sure it is everything you've hoped it will be. That means we are working together for a common goal, which we will discuss fully before I paint a stroke. It's a delicate process I have honed over 45 years. ... 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.... See MoreSee Less