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!