ABOUT
ROB
Rob grew
up on a lovely cul-de-sac in the suburbs of London, Ontario….but don’t hold
that against him. Never one for sports, Rob showed - at a tender age, a zest
for design. Sadly zesty-ness does not help one complete an Interior Design
diploma (nor does excessive drinking and partying). So in 1994, he packed up
and moved to Toronto to study Theatre Technical Production at Ryerson. After successfully
graduating with this B.F.A. he worked as a Scenic Artist painting drops and
scenery for the stage and film. Rob painted literally hundreds of shows all across
Southern Ontario. Some of the highlights included painting for the Shaw
Festival and the Canadian Opera Company. Rob eventually tired of poverty and took
a job painting murals for casinos, to pay off his enormous student debts!
Rob eventually changed gears again (much to the
dismay of his mother) and eased into painting his own work. He has spent the past
TEN years working full-time on his art to refine his technique and cultivate
his ‘artistic voice’. In that short time, Rob has completed over 600 works of art! He has exhibited in
over 20 outdoor art shows, 7 times at ‘The Artist Project’, has had 12 solo
exhibitions and over 35 group exhibitions including galleries such as: Liss
Gallery, the Lonsdale Gallery, Gallery 129 Ossington and Terrence Robert
Gallery.
…and if that weren’t some hard-core
bragging…….now comes the ‘braggy-est’ part…..
Rob is represented in 8 galleries across
Ontario and has also exhibited in Kelowna B.C. and in the USA. He has also been
represented at The Toronto International Art Fair. Rob’s work was featured in a coffee table book
about “the best things in Toronto” (The Hogtown Project) and is thrilled to be
a part of the City of Toronto Art Collection. Rob is proud to be in the private
collections of the following smart people; Mayor Phyllis Morris, Alex Lifeson, (Rush
guitarist), Stuart McLean (Broadcaster) and Ann Marie MacDonald (Author/Actor).
As far as press goes, Rob has been featured in
Argyle Magazine, Neighborhood Living Magazine, The Society for Commercial
Archeology and has a special collaboration with Spacing Magazine! Rob was also
been commissioned by the TV series “Bomb Girls” to produce artwork for the
show.
Rob’s brand new “prints” and affordable pieces are
a big hit, and as he continues to refine his skills, his work continues to find
new audiences!
Rob's vintage-style work is very identifiable! It
is quite playful, mostly clever, slightly twisted, and often has a
"pocket-sized" political edge. Rob, as a professional artist /entertainer
/activist/smarty-pants is always looking for new ways to challenge and amuse!
Rob’s plans for 'total global art domination' continue to hatch and he looks
forward to another stellar year!
