Biography

Robert R. Williams

Artist Statement:

My art does not have any deep seated philosophical meaning which must be explained to and understood by the viewer. My motivation for painting and drawing is more for the love of the process of doing it than for a desire to say something. I do, however, enjoy the challenge of trying to convey the pain or pleasure I feel as I observe the world around me to the viewer of my work. I particularly enjoy portraying the visual beauty I see in my subjects which may not be apparent to the casual observer.

Biography:

In 2001, Bob retired from Whirlpool Corporation after nearly 25 years as an electronic engineer. Since graduating from college in 1967, he has been concerned with the science and math of designing radios, hifi stereos, juke boxes, electronic pianos and organs, microwave ovens, cooking ranges, refrigerators, mixers, and clothes washers and recently owning a RadioShack franchise. Now he spends his time doing what he has always wanted to do, drawing, painting and sculpting.

During early childhood, in a rural area on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border near Lake Erie, drawing and painting became one of his favorite pastimes. In junior high school portraits became his favorite subject matter. He soon realized about the same time that he also liked math and science and that a career in engineering would probably be more financially secure.

Although he has no academic education in art (he has a BS is in electrical engineering from Cleveland State University), he studied portraiture from Mr. George Palmer of Buffalo, New York and has taken workshops or classes from Larry Blovitts, Phylis Rhoads, Joseph Fettingis, Robert Hoffman, and numerous others. He recently studied sculpture with Ken Schaber at Lake Michigan College and Richard Kiebdaj.

For the last five years, Bob has been active in regional art shows and art fairs. His work has been accepted into the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff in St. Joseph, MI; the Leeper Park Art Fair, In South Bend, IN; the Lubeznik’s Lake Front Art Festival in Michigan City, IN; the Chesterton Art Fair, in Chesterton, IN; the Elmhurst Art in the Park show near Chicago, IL, He has won awards in Juried shows at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph; the Art Barn in Valparaiso, IN; the Chesterton Art Center, in Chesterton, IN; and the Midwest Museum of American Art in Elkhart, IN.

Additional Biographical Data

Born in Conneaut, Ohio 8/21/44

Education-

1962 – Academic/Scientific graduate of Northwestern High School in Albion, Pa.

1967 – BS Electrical Engineering from Cleveland State University

1968-71 – Graduate studies in Electrical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Tech. (no degree)

1972-76 – MBA classes at MSU branch in Benton Harbor (no degree)

1987-90 – Master of Engineering Management classes from National Technological University (no degree)

Art Education – no formal classes beyond ninth grade in high school

Studied portraiture under George Palmer for over three years in Buffalo, N.Y.

Workshops taken from Larry Blovitts, Joseph Fettingis, Phyllis Rhoads, Robert Hoffman, and others

Studied sculpture at Lake Michigan College; Benton Harbor, MI

Employment-

1967- 1971 Sylvania Electric Products, Batavia, N.Y.

1972- Whirlitzer, North Tonawanda, N.Y.

1972-1976 Heath Co., St. Joseph, MI

1976-1985 Whirlpool Corp., Marion, Ohio

1985-2001 Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, MI

Body of Work-

  1. Completed portrait commissions for many individuals in charcoal, pastel, and oils
  2. Produced hundreds of charcoal sketches from life at street fairs and other events.
  3. Artwork was selected by the Berrien Artist Guild, the Benton Harbor Habitat for Humanity, and the Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Buchanan, MI for use in their poster fund raising effort.
  4. Completed two corporate murals (one in acrylic and one in mixed media- w/c and pastel)

Teaching Faculty for Portrait classes at the Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, MI; Studio Arts, South Bend, IN, and Buchanan Art Center, Buchanan, MI.

Pastel Portrait Workshops presented at Studio Arts in South Bend, IN; the Buchanan Art Center, Buchanan, MI; and the Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, IN.

Art society memberships: Berrien Artist Guild, Krasl Art Center, Southern Shores Art Assoc., Chesterton Art Center, Northern Indiana Artists, Northern Indiana Pastel Society, and the Portrait Society of America.

Personal: Married to Carol with four children and seven grandchildren.

 

Contact Information

 

Address:

studio - Box Factory for the Arts at 1101 Broad Street, St. Joseph, Michigan

(616) 983-3688

home - 2207 Bonnie Drive, Stevensville, Mi 49127

(616) 449-8163 cell E-mail: faceartistrrw@comcast.net

 

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