They also published an article about him in the Summer 2009 issue of the same magazine.
American Artist's Workshop Magazine featured one of Rob's Ireland workshops in their Spring 2006 issue. He teaches at The Art League of Virginia and holds workshops throughout the United States and abroad. Rob is known for his inspiring and informative teaching style. Rob lives with his wife, illustrator Lina Liberace, and their two daughters in their 1910 Virginia home which has turned out to be a never-ending renovation project. He is represented by the Arcadia Gallery in New York City, the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, and the M Gallery in Charleston. Rob has been selected to be an honorary member of the America China Oil Painting Artists League. He works in a variety of mediums including pencil, chalk, pen and ink, watercolor, and oil. His work is inspired by the centuries of knowledge, skill, and elegance of the old masters. I should listen to him because he is a young man who knows his stuff!Įxamples shown are Lina's father portrait, one plein air color sketch (this was done with just a palette knife, the cows keep moving), a few pen and inks.Robert Liberace is equally accomplished in drawing, painting, and sculpture. For those of you lucky enough to be in the DC, Northern VA area - I hope you get a chance to grab your sleeping bag and camp out to get into one of his classes at the Arts League.Īs Bill Whitaker said. Rob is a treat, I hope you all get a chance to at least take in one of his presentations at the PSOA, or one of his many workshops. Note the lighter appearing blue areas are actually the #5 value of Grey Rob uses to tone his supports, he always lets a bit show through to the end. This one just happens to be Lina's father. But the color is lively as Rob and his 500 Irish cousins. If there was time I am sure I would have smoothed out a bit of the brush work, or trimmed it with a knife. The example I am showing is just about a three hour "sketch". I am always amazed how much easier it is to have all the information right in front of you. I have to be honest following Rob's simple way to approach the figure (it takes a bit of time to get used too), one ask themselves why they put themselves through the added frustration and difficulty of NOT working from life. On many of our rainy days we had the opportunity to work in the studio with models. I got to show energy in my line, but was able to calm it down with an ink wash. One of the greatest experiences was working with quill and ink, what a joy this was for me and Rob liked this work of mine. The foam panels proved a mistake because of the wind in Northern Ireland. I did take two lovely panels by Max Howard, but in trying to save on weight, ended up taking the rest in gatorfoam panels by Tim Giles (also great). Traveling with my French easel was awful, but it came in handy once there. I also had my first exposure too plein air painting and it was a real experience. (Rob just blocks in by two values light and dark shapes.) I felt these two weeks with Rob really helped me fine tune his "colorist" palette and the block in for under painting has let me jump into any life situation with out hesitation knowing I will get a good likeness. this fall too, so I learned what an incredibly small world it is. My studies with Liberace were great! The art center where we did most of our meeting and gallery work will be hosting Tim T.
Now that I am a bit back to life, especially after spending an unexpected evening in Newark, NJ without Jimmie's nor Brian Allanson's phone numbers, I wanted to take a moment to post some of my work from two wonderful weeks in Northern Ireland with Robert Liberace and his extensive family - especially his lovely wife Lina, who is not only one heck of an illustrator herself but a person I really love to spend time with.