June News

(Above) Portrait Study (Man Looking Left), oil on canvas, 10 x 8", 2026

As this summer begins, I’m happy to present some new paintings and opportunities to study with me.

A new selection of smaller works is available for collection;

· Portrait Study (Man Looking Left), oil on canvas, 10 x 8”, 2026

· Portrait Study (Old Man Looking Right), oil on canvas, 10 x 8”, 2026

· Driftwood, oil on canvas panel, 8 x 8”, 2026

· Outer Banks Sky, oil on canvas, 10 x 8”, 2026

All works are framed and ready to grace your walls this summer!

For students of drawing and painting, the all-new Patreon Praxis and Virtus Patreon Membership tiers deliver two options to study with me. The Praxis Membership offers assignments, resource materials, and monthly review of up to two drawings or paintings for written critique and digital paint-overs, and the Virtus Membership expands on those benefits and brings the total monthly reviewed works to five.

Finally, I’m pleased to offer my Visual Composition Workshop again this month, presented online through the New York Academy of Art. The Spring session’s deep dive into this rich subject proved genuinely illuminating, and I’m excited to share the material once again.

I’m so very grateful for your support -- thank you!

My kindest regards,

Robert Dale Williams



robertdalewilliams.com

Written May 15, 2026

I used to write a lot.  I kept a journal for years, and I'm glad I did because I have a detailed record of some of the most formative years of my life -- my studies at the Academy and in Norway.

 

Somewhere along the line, writing became rare for me, and it's strange to me because my output creatively hasn't significantly slowed.  I think that a part of me let the sense of normalcy that overtakes the life of a government employee stifle the urge to record life -- who wants to document life as a wage slave?  But my thoughts and opinions never stop cycling in my head.  I used to write them down, give them form, and thereby release them in some way.

 

So here I am again.

 

What do I have to say for all of this?

 

With my work, (my painting, that is, and that is the only thing worthy of the name) I feel both frustration and elation lately.  I've let go of a lot of pretext and pretension, which is liberating.  I've presented a body of work (* Note: here I am writing about the Seaside Gallery I've posted to my website) that was always worthy of me and of presentation to the world.  My defensive nature, and fear of appearing as anything less than (a) provocateur who shocks with violence, constrained me.

View at Corolla, oil on prepared paper, 4.25 x 7", 2010.  Available.

So, I am working.  I am searching again.

 

But, I'm very isolated and alone.  My interaction with the painting or “art world” is limited to a few colleagues who maintain the Academy programs.  I left social media, which was a tiny way to connect.  I haven't reached out.

 

My work needs to be better, more of it too.  More honest work, made with passion.

 

Paint what you know, and love, and experience, and everything else takes care of itself.

- Robert

Honeymoon Suite, oil on canvas, 10 x 8", 2018.  Available.

Written 5/15/2026

Recalling a dream

I’m recalling a dream I had recently.

I dreamt I lived in a huge, repurposed warehouse building.  It felt like a commune, very cozy and comfortable.  My living space was upstairs, and the word was going around that a band passing through town… a bigger act, like Robert Plant… would likely stop by and perhaps perform a little.  I joined the gathering downstairs to find that there will be a poetry reading by the famous guest, and everyone was excited about that, including me.  An open box full of specialty beers packaged in what looked like small jelly jars was free to anyone who was interested.

The dream is idyllic, isn’t it?  Everyone having a good time, excited about gathering together and, at the center of it all, a creative artform - poetry.

Why isn’t this our reality?

In 2026, we’ve never had more ways to “connect”.  Digital platforms are being used to reach prospective audiences – I’m doing just that with this blog entry.  But in the corporate-driven media landscape that’s been built with the technology, the idea of people living together, feeling comfortable, and gathering for some free entertainment and refreshments… it’s quite a fever dream.

A condo in a renovated warehouse building?  Whether you’re just outside a big city or in a small-town redevelopment, you’re probably looking at between $1,500 to $4,000 per month, depending on the number of rooms and other fixtures.

A comfortable, carefree feeling?  Unless you’re part of the 1% reading this in May 2026, life is likely about as far from comfortable and cozy as it’s ever been in your lifetime.

Free entertainment and refreshments?  As much as I’m willing to bet Robert Plant loves a good poetry reading, he’s not doing them for free anywhere, and $20 beers at concerts across America throw the concept of free samplers completely out the window.

In societies new and old, the concept of value drives everything.  Currency is more than money; it is knowledge and skill.  We trade our skills for money, we invest our money to acquire more skills.

We’ve priced peace and community out of reach.  We can guess at the dollar value of the scenario in my dream, and we know it’s high.  I think we’ve lost track of the price of not having peace and community.

Robert painting on-location in Nags Head, North Carolina in 2013.

The Making of St Jerome - A Patreon Exclusive Tutorial

 In an all-new exclusive Patreon video tutorial, I detail the creative process behind St Jerome, The Patron Saint of Librarians (oil on canvas, 24 x 32", 2026).

For this painting, I used a new creative device for the very first time-!  And you won't want to miss the moment where I needed to step into the role of the Saint himself to keep the painting going...!

Jump over to my Patreon page, become a member, and enjoy this look "behind the scenes" of my creative process!

April News

As summer nears, I’m excited to share new paintings, upcoming classes and workshops, and an expanded selection for collectors.

Mark your calendar for April 13th, when I’ll debut The Librarian—a new 24 x 32” oil painting on my website.   High‑resolution images of the finished work will be captured by Bob Polett, whose extensive experience includes photographing historical works for the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

On May 16th I’ll be returning to my hometown to lead a Portraits From Life workshop at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education. It’s a full‑circle moment, as my first teaching experience after graduate school took place at the Institute of the Arts in 2005, and I’m genuinely excited to revisit the space where my teaching career began.  See the Classes and Workshops listings below for more information and to enroll today.

(above) Oil Sketch (Gesturing Man), oil on canvas, 10 x 8", 2022; $250 in the Under $500 Store

Finally, for anyone looking to begin or expand their collection, I’m offering a growing selection of studies, sketches, and small works on my website. With a wide variety of subjects, media, and sizes, there is definitely something for new and seasoned collectors alike!  Explore the latest works priced $500 and Under at robertdalewilliams.com.

Warm wishes for the months ahead,

Robert Dale Williams

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS:

Portraits From Life at Yocum Institute for Arts Education

This beginner-friendly workshop introduces the process of observing, measuring, composing, blocking, and rendering portrait drawings or paintings from observation. Principles covered in this workshop include color theory, tonal development, and form resolution utilizing the media of the student’s choice. There will be an hour break for lunch, and recommended supplies list sent upon registration of the class.

Saturday, May 16^th, 2026 | 9 AM to 4 PM

Yocum Institute for Arts Education

3000 Penn Ave., Reading PA. 19609

 

For more information and to enroll, please visit;

https://portal.iclasspro.com/yocumarts/camp-details/575?typeId=22&filters=%7B%22programs%22:%2269%22,%22sorting%22:%22time%22%7D&campTypeName=One%20Day%20Workshops&campTypeNamePlural=One%20Day%20Workshops

 

Online New York Academy of Art Summer Class Offering

Introduction to Photoshop for Artists is your gateway to revolutionary creative software.  This revised and beginner-friendly course introduces artists to the essential tools and techniques of Adobe Photoshop. Students will learn how to navigate the interface, work with layers, and apply basic image adjustments tailored to creative workflows. Whether you're preparing reference material or experimenting with digital composition, this course lays the groundwork for artistic exploration.

Save $50 with discount code: williamsdiscount50
Wednesdays 6:30–9:30 PM | May 20 – June 24, 2026

For more information and to enroll, please visit;
https://www.academyeverywhere.com/courses/online-introduction-to-photoshop-for-artists-summer-i-2026

Visual Composition -- My First Online Workshop for the New York Academy of Art!

I’m excited to present my first online workshop through the New York Academy of Art! 

Visual Composition Workshop – Online - By integrating their sketches, studies, and reference images, students will learn how to shape visual narratives with heightened intention and clarity. The class will examine a variety of compositional tools and techniques, including compositional grids, using light and shadow to guide the viewer’s eye, manipulating crisp versus blurred edges to suggest focus and atmosphere, and experimenting with both open compositions that feel expansive and closed compositions that feel contained. Utilizing these approaches—supported by digital paint-over demonstrations from Williams—students will build more dynamic and expressive visual compositions.

Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | March 21st – 22nd, 2026

Enroll for the workshop at:

https://www.academyeverywhere.com/courses/online-visual-composition-workshop-spring-2026

 

I've Returned to Patreon!

I've resumed posting to my Patreon page this week, and I'm looking forward to expanding offerings for both free and paid members!

Today I've added a video, previously posted to my YouTube channel, that is now exclusive to Patreon.  In the Painting Studio Journal episode, "Should You Go to Art School?", I discuss the ins and outs of attending a traditional four-year university for art education versus the kind of educational options that are available to aspiring figurative painters today.  This 20-minute video is available for view with a free membership!

Become a member today for just $5 monthly and access the already expansive library of video tutorials I've posted to my Patreon page!