A R T
Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1957, he
was exposed to art at an early age, as his
father painted watercolors and murals.
Robert discovered his talent for drawing
before he entered school. After high
school, he tried art school; but found
that it didn’t fulfill him. He subsequently
moved to Florida, where he operated a
landscaping firm and earned a degree in
structural engineering from the University
of South Florida in Tampa. Then, while on
a sailing trip, he wandered into an art
gallery, in which he saw paintings by a
variety of maritime artists. This chance
visit changed his life; and for the past
17 years, he has followed his passion for
painting. He began taking classes, reading
books, watching videos, and visiting
museums and galleries, while also perfecting
his drawing and painting skills.
In 2006, he discovered plein-air painting,
when he entered a Paint Out and won
two awards.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 179
In “Cruising the Trough,” Robert
created a sense of motion with his
bold brush strokes and lost and
found edges, as the seagulls fly
over the shore-bound waves.
The Cabbage Palm is the State Tree
for the State of Florida.
For Robert, this boat in dry dock
is iconographic, as it is being
repaired for its next voyage.