"Bringing the Museum to You"

 

By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the first of two 12-piece Exhibitions of works by American landscape artist Robert Matheson (born 1956 in Minnesota, USA).

 

Bob spent his childhood traveling back and forth between the city and his uncle's farm in western Minnesota. Spending so much time in the country helped to instill a great love of nature and an appreciation for the beauty and peacefulness of rural areas. Being adopted he struggled to find a way to fit in, playing sports, scouts etc., but it was art that always called to him. He much preferred drawing to homework!  He struggled through school as a result. A stint in the Army convinced him that art was an important part of his life and he attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design part-time for a year on the G.I. Bill.

 

Bob's dreams were then put on hold while he raised his family working a variety of jobs to make ends meet. He

began to woodcarve in the early ninties carving birds and fish. As luck would have it, his neighbor was Brian Stewart- an accomplished plein air painter. Brian not only gave him a demonstration but also urged him to give it a try. This was a life-changing event! Bob has been painting plein air ever since.

 

Bob has attended a few workshops but he is basically self- taught. He has spent countless hours painting from life year round and has developed his unique style. He paints on a regular basis with noted painter Bob Bonawitz and others who have helped him become a better painter. He is convinced that in time the landscape will change so his motto is "Preserving the landscape one canvas at a time." He participates in shows in the area on a regular basis but avoids the time commitment of art festivals as he would prefer to spend the time painting.

Bob resides in Southwest Minneapolis with his wife Nancy and four dogs. His other passion is Jazz and he spends many hours listening to the greats. You can find him outside painting the creeks and farms year round. Just listen for the whistle of some jazz tune that is running through his head while he is painting away. He also has a profile on Facebook where most of his newest works are posted.