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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Finding NETI
As a followup to the original NETI intorductory short, this movie explores the man behind the myth, asking the hard questions about existence and whether identity is real or imagined. How can NETI be that he is not? And if he is not, then what is he not?...
Triggering My Abuse – the music video
We had such fun making this music video at a recent Soiree with friends. It's absurd and hilariously ridiculous, an absolutely essential healing and cathartic experience. Don't be turned off by the taboo title. At some point we just have to laugh about these stories...
Jesus Slept
This is the poem that so many asked me about during a recent poetry reading at The 827. Come read your poems there too, every Wednesday evening at 7:30 - 9pm. While there, take in the NETI exhibit. When I say take it in, I mean TAKE IT IN! Like a poem. ...
Bored With Youth
I am bored with Youth NETI I admit it. I am bored with youth. It can be downright frustrating when younger people disrespect my age, negating my life experience and assume, in their youthful exuberance, that I am some old buffoon, not to be taken seriously; that...
TransNETIfication
TransNETIfication Is your painting that it is not? To transNETIfy is to destroy in order to create anew, to find enlightenment from the ashes of truth. NETI is that he is not. So too, all things are in the process of destruction and creation. It is the natural order...
Get NETIfied
Get NETIfied NETI is now accepting a limited number of commission portraits, created in his inimitable style. He will TransNETIfy you, using your suggestions for theme and subject to create a masterpiece full of mystery and intrigue. Ask the staff of 827 for more...
Portrait Delivery
Oh ho, the Wells Fargo Wagon is a comin!! It is always a delight when a portrait hits it's mark. They're like my children. I get very attached and feel like part of the family. A piece of me always goes out when a portrait is delivered. Fortunately, there's an...
The Text Monster
How often do we text and drive? Just a little bit here and there? Stopped at a light? Just a quick, "got it." The Text Monster doesn't care. She says, "don't say you're sorry, just don't do it!" These films all have a message but they are all about character and...
Ann Kennedy Video Tribute
I've used the Memorial Service as a basis for a video tribute of my mom. I hope you will enjoy the additional photos and other elements I've added to give you a small glimpse of the life of Ann Kennedy. It is not as wonderful as I would have liked, but here is my...
The Miracle of How the Sad Boy Became Happy
A Children’s Story by Robby Maniscalco Once upon a time there was a beautiful but troubled young woman who had an unwanted child. She loved him in her way but wasn't ready to give him all the love he craved. So she left him with his father who did his best to raise...
Our Sublime Purpose
A call to action Beings come and go on this Earth, each to sing their own sweet song, muttering them almost imperceptibly as they pass. Or sometimes shouting them from the high ground of a flood. I awoke from a dream this morning on which my grandfather,...
A Tribute to Ann Kennedy
Love languages of Ann Kennedy Thank you all for coming today. "Never trust a person who doesn't love animals." You could trust my mom. Tigey's here to protect her from the indignity of being paraded out on display. There's been much written and said about the Five...
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
"Tempus Fugit" captures the instant fire and ice meet, when strange entities are released into the human psyche. Another collaboration between myself and artist Nick C. Cerrato. ...
"Light" captures the moment of decision. To enlighten or to inflame? ...
"Darkness and Light" is my latest collaboration with Nick C. Cerrato. It can be appreciated simply as an #abstract expressionist #painting and closer up as a deep narrative meditation on darkness and #light. ...
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The grand arbiter of taste, who definitely would not recognize a Van Gogh if it hit them in the face. With apologies, of course, to all those who've awarded me over the years, and to those who haven't. This is one more 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 was award worthy. And I can tell you why. I think contests should exist to support deep study and commitment to the purpose of art, which is to open our eyes to something heretofore unseen. It is the juror's job to really see the artists' work, in such a way that each artist will know they have been seen. ...
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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.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 ...