About
After taking my ‘A’ Levels in arts and science subjects I followed architect’s technician diploma and later on building construction degree studies. I worked in architects' practices and design studios.
Robert is described as a 3d thinker by architects in whose studios he has worked for his aptitude in 3d work and design. He carried out commissions for large-scale art installations and to-scale architectural models, both, in mixed media; the installations are for residential and office premises. The models are for presentation to clients and planners and have been instrumental in clinching the deal for the firm. Robert's duties also included presentation and working drawings, both on drawing board and on auto cad and selling the appropriate materials and hardware ranges to clients for their projects.
Eventually, his work alternated between architects’ practices and the art departments of most major film studios as Pinewood, Elstree, Shepperton, Twickenham, Wembley on various film and commercial productions. He also occasionally built props for prop makers for advertising.
During his free time Robert attended evening and weekend Art-Classes in a range of subjects as Life Modelling, Stained Glass, Painting at London Guildhall University, City Lit and other colleges as well as a two-year, Advanced, BTEC, Professional Development Award in Ceramics at Hackney Community College. He left full-time and freelance work to read Applied Arts at Middlesex University where he was awarded a First-Class, B. A. Hons degree. He now found a new niche within the applied arts spectrum.
Robert spent his time at university exploring mostly, the artistic, but pragmatic use of different materials, their characters, pushing their boundaries. and marrying them in new and exciting bonds, He has always been a hands-on person. His university work thought him how to allow materials to behave comfortably within their own behavioural-parameters.
Materials and processes that Robert works on include timber, clay, paper, plasters, translucent, opaque, colour or monochrome eco-friendly grp, modelling and casting, raw materials, found and discovered objects. He plays in this field creating in 3d and the results are to his own tune and direction.
My Work
My work is often three dimensional. I'm a 3D applied artist, I think in 3D.
I am influenced by things visual. I look with a fleeting glance, a stare or even longer at anything that appeals to me in an urban or rural context, at beauty or lack of it, colour or monochrome, features or shortage of them, in umbra or penumbra. I tend to break down objects that I have seen in my mind's eye and rebuild them into 360°, 3d objects, where they assume a new form, quality or dimension, apparent or latent, but that communicates with me and that could allow me to physically build them if I so choose. At this stage I am, probably, if subconsciously, thinking of compatible, appropriate materials.
I have a background in architecture and building construction where I worked in my earlier years. Once I build up a mental 3d image I might translate it into sketch drawings or, preferably, sketch maquettes The end result is, however, dictated by serendipity and flights of fancy take over until the completed object takes place. Having said that, an optimum stage is seldom reached; finished objects could be the basis for future pieces.
Contemporary art, that quite a few describe as muddled, reflects contemporary, confused real-life conditions. The viewer looks beyond that murky surface such as, say, a seemingly, contorted portrait, and sees the beauty of the obscured or hidden object beyond and, maybe, even associate themselves with it. My three-dimensional work employs this latent quality and becomes subversive. Although my work seems to counter the meticulous order in my earlier architectural work it does not play havoc with it. It might belong or it could be a challenge to an ordered environment but never in conflict; more likely an enhancer. I wear the contemporary artist’s shoes whose remit is to make that confusing foreground, itself intriguing and appealing; a doorway to what might lay beyond.
I tend to move whimsically from subject to subject and I allow myself to be led by mind and soul building objects as if from inner thoughts. The results are serendipitous. They're often about form but also about decoration and either could take prominence. What I produce is an expression of my intentions but I like to leave it to the viewer to find links in my works They stand in space in three dimensions. I do not refer to my work as sculpture as others sometimes define my work; my works are 3d statements on life to a human scale.