Artist's Statement

Web Design by Bob Bickers

Postcard of Bob’s art show at the Gallery Space in Monroeville, PA in August, 2001. Click to enlarge.

Artist’s Statement

There are many worthy and fulfilling pursuits for a person wanting to make a difference in this world. One is to help others in need. Another is to inspire others by showing them the wonders that surround us. As an attorney and an artist, I feel fortunate to have been able to do both. For most of my legal career, I have helped those who needed help the most, and it has been very rewarding to see what a difference that sometimes makes. I am also as passionate about my artwork and I only hope that my expressions in paint may provide some small insight that may enlighten or even inspire.

I revel at the variety of artistic expression in the world today and I would never tell someone one form of expression is less valid than another. I can only speak as to my own art as I struggle to express myself. Art is a human creation and only has meaning when it is view by human beings (or anyone else out there) who can appreciate it. While it is good when art has mass appeal, sometimes an artist's vision will take the public to places where that vision may not be well received, appreciated or even understood. No matter. If that artwork has meaning to at least one person, perhaps only the artist himself, it is still art and a viewpoint that should be heard, even if for no other reason than to help us to understand and define the limits of our own cultural sensibilities and aesthetic notions. And maybe even expand those limits.

I have always been drawn to art. The process of creation and imagination is both fascinating and freeing. Making something recognizable from mere pigment is amazing. Making something that can touch the human heart is nothing less than a miracle.

What motivates me to draw or paint something? My mind teems with ideas and I love bringing some of them to life. To see something take form that did not exist before is like watching a child being born. But if I painted 24 hours a day, I could not possibly put every idea to canvas. The ideas that do manage to move from my mind into the physical world are usually those that move me the most in an emotional way. Sometimes I think about it a long time and like the loud child that seeks attention, it will not let me rest until it is on my easel.

Being both an artist and an attorney has given me some advantages. What I have learned in one area has helped me in the other. Powers of observation, composition, color balance and design help me to organize my mind and make sense of what I am seeing. In the same way, a lawyer is trained to sort through and organize facts, using logic and reason to understand the law and the world around us. I think this mental structure and discipline helps me both as an attorney and an artist.

Most of my paintings and in traditional oils, fast-drying oils called alkyds or in acrylics. Virtually all of my photography is created with digital cameras as they give me maximum creative control in producing a final print that truly represents my vision.

I have no problem using photographs while painting. There are times when working from a photograph is necessary, such as when painting portraits of children or animals who won't sit still, or adults who simply don't have the time to sit for a formal portrait. But the photograph is simply another tool I sometimes use. I know how to use a camera well and I know its strengths, weaknesses and limitations. It is useful as a reference, a "digital sketch" but I do not simply copy my photographs. Sometimes however, I will take a photograph of a scene with the intention of making a painting, only to notice that the photograph itself was of such a quality to stand on its own, and so I will post it as it is. I've been told by experts to either concentrate on photography or painting, but the fact is that I enjoy doing both and have learned a great deal from each medium, so I see no reason I should cease doing either.

Both landscapes and portraits capture my interests. I like trying to make a portrait more than a landscape of flesh and textiles. Capturing someone's "essence" as a human being with oil paint is such a rare achievement, but well worth the effort. I also want to do more paintings in the future of aviation and space topics as these are subjects that I find very interesting.

I hope most people enjoy my paintings. I hope my artwork will touch some people on emotional level. And maybe someone will be drawn to my work enough to purchase it and take it home with them. A fine piece of art can bring enjoyment for generations.

Exhibiting my artwork is important to me too. Art that is never seen is like a poem that is never read, a song that is never sung. Loved or hated, it must see the light of day and be shown. Giving anybody the ability to view my work is one of the reasons this web site exists. Another reason is in giving people access to me and in providing a means for me to hear the opinions and comments of all those who view, appreciate and perhaps, even purchase my artwork. The public’s opinion is important to me and I want to know what they really think. That’s why I have made it so easy for people to contact me, either by e-mail, my Guestbook or on my Blog.