Painted Poetry Blog

ARTFINDER: Le Tigre by Robert Phelps - This was a really fun project and is one of my ...

2016-09-01T10:49:00.001-07:00

ARTFINDER: Le Tigre by Robert Phelps - This was a really fun project and is one of my ...

Ramsey vs. Ramsay?

2015-03-24T17:00:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the art blog of Robert Phelps, owner of Painted Poetry, LLC. This blog is a general hodgepodge of all the different projects I work on. To see my main site click HERE :-)

Years ago I wondered who would would in a yelling match--hot-headed chef #GordonRamsay or vein-bursting financial fanatic #DaveRamsey. Ironically, I put all my money behind Gordon. They both like to yell but Gordon is the real deal with a fire in his gut that would make Smaug proud.

Recently my girlfriend and I have been watching an unhealthy amount of Kitchen Nightmares, rekindling our love for the blond Brit and his bombastic ways. This culinary renaissance came on the heels of binge-watching one of my all time favorite shows, #Hannibal. My love for #MadsMikkelsen reaches back many moons--so much so that I've maintained my "Mads Mikkelsen May" tradition for over 5 years now. Every May I watch all his movies and shows. What can I say? I'm a completionist. When I learned that he'd be reinventing the character of Hannibal Lecter I nearly went comatose with uncontainable glee.

While joking with my girlfriend about Gordon's temper I wondered aloud who would win in a fight? Master Chef Gordon with his bulldog style temper or stealthy, knife-savvy Hannibal Lecter? It immediately reminded me of this scene where Ray Liotta is spoon fed his own brain by Dr. Lecter. It was so goofy that I made a quick doodle of it while on the phone. Here....now it's yours. Enjoy. Just so you know...not all of my art is this dumb. Click here to see my portfolio

Still Getting Plastered....

2015-03-24T16:38:00.001-07:00

I've just returned from a fantastic vacation in #Asheville , NC with my girlfriend. I had to pull off this project for a week and am just now returning to it. So far my client is happy with the progress. Today I began the process of #fauxpainting the plaster that I applied earlier. I am really loving the combo of rustic brick and plaster. I've lightened and distressed the bricks quite a bit. I still have more work to do on the ceiling later this week.

Getting Plastered at Work

2015-03-12T17:35:00.003-07:00

I spent the entire day resisting making that terrible pun about getting plastered....it had to finally come out. Apologies. I'm excited about this project. For a few weeks I've been refining the samples and negotiating the look with the client. It's taken a few tries to coordinate the colors properly to work with the existing decor and wall colors.

We are going for a classical look with a French contemporary flair to warm up their dining room space. We wanted something both understated (so as not to contrast too much with the rest of the house) and chic. As you can imagine this is a fine line to walk. We chose a bold accent wall with faux brick panels (coming soon) and a classic aged plaster for the rest of the room.

The ceiling is also getting a #fauxpainting makeover to accentuate and highlight the elegant trim work. Day one was all base coating the ceiling and getting the first layer of plaster on. Mission accomplished.

She's So Shar...Pei

2015-03-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

If you are new and stumbled onto this blog, welcome. My name is Robert Phelps and I am an artist living in St. Petersburg, FL. I do a large variety of work which you can see on my website.

This was a unique challenge for my #petportrait skills. Lucy is my first ever #Sharpei that I've ever painted. She was a memorial portrait so I took it pretty seriously.I worked from a variety of reference photos but ultimately settled on this pose of her by the couch. I close cropped it to get the details more in focus.

The client preferred a square composition and I really liked how the pose showed the full body. In retrospect, although I really like how this #dogportrait turned out, I would like to have used the photo with the flowers as it has a bit more charm. Still, the client was very happy with the finished product.

The painting process was interesting in that I had intended to use muted/conservative tones throughout. I started off that way but kept getting the "call" to use more vibrant hues. As per usual, I just followed my intuition and watched the painting unfold. I'm happy with the rainbow of tones and now see how appropriate they were.

Say Hello To John Waters! Florida Just Got Weirder....

2014-09-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

When I heard John Waters was coming to town I couldn't resist painting a picture of him in anticipation of his visit. After recently hearing the unabridged audio version of his new book Carsick (which he reads brilliantly himself) while driving on long stretches of creepy Floriduh roadways, I was inspired to give my portrait idea a go. Much like my meandering ride listening to John's mondo bizarro adventures on the road, I enjoyed the solo laboratory time exploring the infinite weirdness that is John Waters. Now that it's done I am happy to donate the painting to the The Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF) in the hopes it will help raise funds for their organization and their endeavors.

I tried to capture the kitschy affection that I feel for this brilliant man by symbolizing it with a single red rose in the mouth of a chihuahua. It's hard not to love John Waters! I was going for a retro feel mixed with some of the sultry colors of summer in the Sunshine State. The pink flamingos in the background are obviously a nod to one of his most infamous films, "Pink Flamingos" but I wanted to "electrify" them a bit with lemon-colored outlines to highlight the charged and exciting feel of his work. I realized later that they also reminded me of the ubiquitous Florida Lottery flamingo logo which I see on discarded scratch offs everywhere. Having John visit us does feel a bit like a Jackpot win.

I like how it has a bit of a monster movie "crazy eye" look with some dramatic shading on his head to highlight the cinematic glow of his face. All the music in his movies that I've heard have that late 50's/early 60s vibe so I felt going with a color palette from that era would help capture the colorful essence of Mr. Waters. Also, being a pet portrait artist, I couldn't help but notice that he reminds me so much of a chihuahua--both in look and bearing. He's both finicky and fierce, delicate and daring--so I decided to represent that as his spirit animal, as it were.

When considering how I wanted to portray John Waters I first considered going dark and dirty with an homage to the man's penchant for filth. Maybe some busty transvestites or tawdry tramps to give a taste of his magnificent ouevre. However, having listened to him read his most recent work (and it was filled to the gills with raunchy delights) I was struck more by how sweet he is. I think that's why I've always had an affinity for Waters's work. I, myself, am a mixture of salty and sweet. And by that I mean I am a filthy Irish bastard with a heart of gold. Haha ;-)

I've always found that particular dichotomy fascinating--these great monsters who dig deep into the bowels of depravity are often the most sensitive and eloquent creatures when speaking candidly. I would include Iggy Pop, Hunter S. Thompson and Marilyn Manson among this pantheon of surprisingly astute hellions. Incredibly savvy and intelligent, these pioneers of perniciousness are amazingly thoughtful when you hear them speak.

Ultimately this painting is a love letter to the mad genius that is John Waters. I think he's one of the most bold visionaries this country has produced in a century. I'm glad his star is shining more brightly these days and he is being recognized for his profound impact as a cultural catalyst. I also think that without his pencil-thin pervstache that John bears an uncanny resemblance to Don Knotts (I figured this out before I painted his mustache in). I hope he doesn't mind me saying so...but seriously...I'm surprised no one has mentioned it before.

On a side note, I thought I'd share my favorite personal John Waters moment. Being a die hard fan of both Johnny Depp and Iggy Pop as a teenager I thought I'd lose my shit when I found out they were both together in Crybaby. (They both appear together in one of my other favorite movies "Dead Man" by Jim Jarmusch as well). I loved the film and, being the curious cat I am, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Deland Library to special order more of this amazing director's work. This was before the Internet was running full throttle and I didn't have a computer so I had to hunt him down the old fashioned way.

I say "pilgrimage" in that learning about John Waters was a mission that I pursued with religious zeal. At the time I was a 21 year old punk kid living in a double-wide manufactured home with my stepdad in a middle-of-nowhere town called Altoona. It felt like I was living in a prehistoric swamp. My stepdad's 6 acres were in the Ocala wilderness and loaded with spiders, scorpions, and every other wetland creepy crawly. I hung a heavy punching bag from a big oak that always looked like a dead body when you first drove up the sandy road to the house.

It was almost an hour drive for me to the Deland library but I was a regular there. I was always special ordering books and movies to sate my curiosity. To their credit the staff never batted an eye when I would request random titles while on nerd safari. It took a few weeks to get Pink Flamingos but when it came in I rushed home through the Spanish moss to watch it after work.

I had no idea what to expect having only read a little about John's work at the library. The description of the movie was tantalizingly risque so I couldn't wait to dive in. Just as I was popping the tape into the VCR my stepdad came to sit next to me on the couch. He asked what I was watching and I told him something to the effect of "not sure--just checking out one of the early films of a director I like. Pretty artsy and weird". So he settled in too.

By this time my stepdad and mother had already split up for years so our brief stint as woods-dwelling hermit roommates was already strange and awkward. We had a Felix and Oscar dynamic from the get go and pretty much stayed out of each other's way. He and I couldn't be more different. He spends his days working on vintage cars and tinkering with engines. I was always huddled in my room with hundreds of books. His interest in all things art-related was, and still is, less than zero. He had grown accustomed to my eccentricities over the years (and I his) but nothing could prepare us for the storm of awkwardness that descended upon us when I clicked "play" on Pink Flamingos.

I don't know if it was the chicken fucking scene, the grossly obese egg-eating Edie, or the massive kielbasa tied to Raymond's greasy wang but at a certain point I couldn't handle the strangeness of watching this savage spectacle with my stepdad. The rising tide of uncomfortable heebie-jeebies was suffocating us both. It was like accidentally watching porno with your grandma--you definitely didn't want to be there for the money shot. We both just sat there stoically staring at the screen quietly grimacing and squinting. Neither of us knew how deep into the rabbit hole the movie was going to go and I decided to head this train wreck off at the pass.

We only made it partially though the movie together. I turned it off and meekly attempted an explanation of the artistic and cultural significance of transgressive art before trailing off into a quiet, red-faced mumble. My stepdad looked nonplussed but I knew he had never seen anything like Pink Flamingos and was not exactly horrified but...disturbed. He just silently got up, grabbed a beer and went outside to wrench on his 73 Cutlass. Neither of us spoke of it again.

I watched the film in it's entirety later in the week by myself and was grateful that I had turned it off before the cop cannibalizing and whistling butthole scenes. In retrospect I think that John Waters would have been delighted at the whole hilarious scenario. Two decades after it's creation, Pink Flamingos still had the power to shock two generations of straight squares watching it in a trailer in the Ocala jungle.

And I always thought things couldn't get any weirder in Florida.....

The Ugly Stage...

2014-04-02T07:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Painted Poetry blog. Mostly this a bunch of random musings of yours truly, St. Petersburg artist Robert Phelps. I cant' stuff all this weird stuff on my website so I had to put it here. You can also see videos of my stuff HERE. ;-)

In practicing for new #pet portraits I sometimes like to do some alla prima exercises to loosen up. Today I'm doubling down and working on two at once, a cat and a dog. They start out looking pretty ruff...er...rough

Multitudes O' Me

2014-02-26T18:04:00.001-08:00

I have decided to re-post this little bit o' craziness with all the updated pictures I've made in the past few years ;-)

Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.

Walt Whitman

I've always loved fooling around with costumes and personas. Astrologers would say this was natural for a Gemini and I would have to agree. These days I am pretty much constantly working on murals, paintings, faux projects, etc. When I want to have some fun I fool around on the computer for a few minutes challenging myself to create a unique disguise a la Sherlock Holmes. I find it incredibly fun and it makes me titter like a monkey every time.

The artist as a young miscreant. Here I am in 1986 or so as a wayward 10 year old. There was a companion picture to go with this. I dressed "preppy" for another one but my brother cropped my head off by accident.

When I was a kid I just played with different personas with the camera. I'm far too lazy for playing dress up these days.

This was a tribute to that within us all that is deathless. Soul, Atman...whatever. I painted this with the idea of myself in death mask blowing a kiss to myself from beyond. It was a reminder of both death and eternal life.

I've drawn and painted myself in all sorts of strange ways. What I would look like older, as an Asian, etc.

Getting my Patrick Nagel on. Without my scruff I look like a totally different person. I didn't want to spend too much time on it. For a quickie I think it's pretty good....

Now on my coffee breaks I get into this kind of Photoshop chicanery.....

Old Timey Robert Phelps

Samurai Warrior Robert Phelps

Devil May Care (He doesn't) Robert Phelps

Religious Toast Robert Phelps

Victorian Curmudgeon Robert Phelps

Hypnotic Neon Robert Phelps

Patriotic, Beer-Swiller Robert Phelps

80s Trading Card Robert Phelps

Suck It Robert Evans....Robert Phelps took your place in the movie poster

Frenchy Fancy Pants Robert Phelps

Civil War General Robert Phelps

A Dedicated Follower of Fashion

A dedicated follower.....of the One True Ring!

Robert Phelps vampire....Lost Boys not Twilight....

Robert Phelps zombie horde....

I wanna be your dog!

Psychedelic Robert Phelps

Time waster? Maybe. But everyone needs hobbies ;-)

Baci Ball!

2014-01-13T05:56:00.001-08:00

Robert Phelps first cat portrait of 2014!

My latest pet portrait was a birthday present for St. Petersburg luminary Gina Vivinetto. Gina has been a friend and great supporter of the arts in the St. Petersburg/Tampa area for as long as I've known her. A few years ago she wrote a glowing review of my rock n' roll artwork on her celebrated blog. She's always been remarkably encouraging with me about my artwork and has commissioned pet portraits from me in the past. In 2013 Gina interviewed me about my pet portraits for the Pinellas County Articulate Arts Blog.

Green-eyed Lady!

Sooooo....when her girlfriend reminded me that her birthday was coming up I leapt at the chance to make something special for her.

Sophisti-cat, art lover

This cat portrait is of her little friend Baci. I have only met her once or twice in person but she has a reputation as a real sweetheart. I like how this came out--it feels especially soft and fuzzy to me. I noticed an almost Renoir-like look and feel to this one. For my zazzle products I called her "Cotton Kitty".

2014 has been off to a great start. More to come!!

Tally Ho!!

2014-01-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

Wow, 2014 is already here! I've been terribly behind on updating my blog. Getting that part of my business streamlined and systematized is a big part of my 2014 plan. So far things have been fantastic with a series of projects already lining up, including a new pet portrait. A local walked by my artwork displayed in the window of Woof, Here It IS and called for a commission.

My last pet portrait of 2013 was Tally--a 55 doberman who had recently passed. As it was a memorial pet portrait painting, I took it very seriously and worked really hard to get the details right. The blue collar was of special significance. Apparently it was part of Tally's signature style ;-)

I love even more that this was a surprise Christmas commission. The owners were kind enough to thank me personally via Facebook and let me know that the work was appreciated. I received these glowing reviews which really made my day:

"Robert: I cannot express how much your painting of Tally moves me...it captures her life essence and kind spirit like no photograph could...It's just a shame that we lost her at such a relatively young age...This was the BEST Christmas gift ever from (my wife) to me....we've hung it in our family room so I can see it 90% of waking hours downstairs. Thanks for capturing her the way you did."

"My daughter was all weepy when she first saw it. (My husband) hung it immediately after. He mentions how much he loves it several times a day."

Part of the reason I love doing pet portraits is because it's so meaningful for the collectors. Not a lot of art really has such an immediate, visceral impact. Luckily for me I genuinely enjoy making them. I LOVE animals and the endless variety of personalities (for lack of a better word), visual textures, and expressions they have is inspiring.

More to come!

Rainbow Tiger Magic....

2014-01-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well that was fun. As 2013 drew to a close I made quite a few sales at my zazzle store. I'm still exploring the financial viability of maintaining a Zazzle store. I am not sure if it's totally worth the time involved compared to the investment in my other artistic streams of income. I do have to admit it is really fun to do--especially seeing my work on products. I also enjoy the positive feedback from people who loved their purchases.

Recently I published a 2014 "The Dogs Of Robert Phelps" Wall Calendar and have sold dozens of them--including many international sales in the mix (which I always find thrilling). So far the feedback I've received for these has been fantastic.

Yesterday I saw a post on Facebook about one of my Rainbow Tiger Pillow designs being warmly welcomed by the cozy grandmother of a friend of mine. I thought that was pretty nice.

I love her face! She's adorable....

Finally, out of the Matrix and into the "Real World" ;-)

And Now For My Next Trick....

2013-10-28T07:32:00.001-07:00

While spelunking in my picture archive I stumbled across these two pictures of some patch work that I had done earlier this year. It's not my favorite type of project but it's weirdly satisfying. I'd much prefer to be painting murals or doing a pet portrait but one rare occasions I get calls from people looking to repair some faux painting done years ago that has suffered some injury.

These projects are always tricky because they involve trying to match someone else's work including texture and color. Very often the painting was done a decade or more in the past so the exact formula or colors are long gone.

This particular project was a crazy challenge because the contractors in charge of repairs had made quite a mess of the wall with spackle. Also, the realtor who had commissioned me to do the project had no idea what the basecoat color might be. I mixed and matched all the colors I brought with me and managed to blend it away. Even I was surprised by the results!

This next little one was a doozy as well. The artist who had painted these pillars had neglected to use primer so of course the paint was going to inevitably peel off. I used some superglue to stave off the worst bits of peeling and then began matching the colors. Fortunately I was able to take a chunk of the peeling paint and color match it so I at least had a good base to start. Presto chango!

James Brown Comes to Town....

2013-10-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Around this time in 2012 I lost a very good friend named Eric. Being of the punk persuasion he called himself "Generic". I had sung (*I should put that in qualifying quotations because I was a horrible vocalist and the noises I made could hardly pass for singing) for his band in my late teens and early 20s. He was a wild and amazing person who brought passion and fire to everything he did. Shortly after he died I made a memorial video of him to honor him.

One special memory I will always hold dear was from a cold, black night in his music studio. In October 2002 my brother and I had written an article for the now defunct Tampa magazine "TooSquare". It was a review of a live James Brown appearance at the Suwanee Music Festival. We wrote it in a quasi-gonzo style in a comical homage to our favorite writer Hunter S. Thompson. It was a hot mess on all counts but fun to do nonetheless.

Generic loved the article and offered to record a live reading of it with some accompanying guitar work he'd throw in. It was one of those magic, drunken nights between brothers filled with booze and banter that one never forgets. He had a great music studio hidden in his sprawling property in middle-of-nowhere Florida. Generic had recorded hundreds of hours of music and scores of bands from near and far. For a strange chapter in the late 90s it was a punk rock mecca drawing acts from across the country and beyond.

So, on this one weird night Generic and I just plowed through a bottle of Jack Daniels and a dozen or more beers (you can hear me slur my words several times) and fiddled with knobs and microphones til the moon called it quits. It's no masterpiece of writing or music but it's a wonderful witness to a magic night with a dearly missed friend. As Generic used to always say--"the creeps come out at night"....

Here is the text as it appeared if you want to read along:

James Brown Comes to Town

By Bob Wire and TJ Swan

Oct. 2002

We passed three horrible crashes under a ripe harvest moon on the way to the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. There’s something Superbad about a trip that begins so black-heeled, but then this was more or less a pilgrimage and one expects some sort of omens to litter the path. My superstitious side capitalized on all these ill portents. I envisioned all sorts of calamities awaiting us on the dark highway ahead: blood-eyed biker gangs, rabid hordes of raccoons, locusts, plagues…..hare krishnas…..

Soon though I switched the brain to the Good Vibe Station, loosing a pleasant stream of cloud-hopping rainbows and flipping unicorns. Good vibes, good vibes…..It wouldn’t do to arrive at the feet of the Godfather burdened with Paranoia. After all, you can’t be down if you’ve got James Brown.

Dammit! Stacia needs a Chalupa! We stop at a Taco Hell to feast. The rest of the drive vaporizes soon after and we arrive at the Spirit of Suwannee camp square at midnight. I can feel the hippy vibrations howling beyond the gates, Technicolor tentacles poised to engulf us.

It’s a volatile alphabet soup of chemicals in there, some natural, some hastily conjured poisons—LSD, MDMA, THC, PMS, GHB, SPF, MSG, etc. This is no ordinary venue. It’s deeply set in the woody rural district of Redneck County Florida—hosting noneother than the Blackest, Baddest, Muthafuckin’ Muthafucka of them all—His Highness….James Brown!!

With all obligatory respects, there were of course a great mass of other performers at this music festival, none of which I gave a rat turd about. I’m sure they are all fine, fine young folks with oodles of talent and charm, but to a monomaniac en route to see a legend, they amount to so much dust on the lens of the binoculars. I came to see the Man who liberated the troglodytes from their bourgeois slumber. Sure I love Elvis too—after all he freed the groin and knees, but King James gave us Soul……

In we go.

The spectacle inside resembled a disintegrating riot—a saturnalia in its formative stages, citizens long soaked in rum and sunshine. People….hairy people…..were milling about cockroach-style in and out of flickering tie-dyed displays. Beer was reasonably priced with little kickback to the middleman in charge of tickets. G Love and Special Sauce were laying down a fine groove. Their set nearly drained, they took the opportunity to extol the merits of cannibis and “cold beverages”. Indeed. So it was for the lingering shades of the evening proper…..stinky, basically peaceful and swampy in a way only Florida can be.

Suddenly, the atmosphere smoldered with anticipation. The weighty chains of civility stretched ever thinner with each shared breath. The crowd was becoming a Beast! Breezes combed us all with virile smells and the rich aroma of stirred dirt.

The first musicians began filing in. When the stage was adequately loaded with black muses and white session players, the unwieldy crew began lubricating the audience with showy, rhythmic noise. The whole affair took on the cadence of an ancient circus. Apparently, as a species, we all secretly love to boogie and get high. Now was the time for our tribe to Get it On.

Something in the blood responds to the reckless Truth and as James Brown took the stage a glittering new fuel began coursing in my veins. He looked like a bloated aborigine wrapped in a diamond pelt. He croaked out a few undecipherable salutations and began the two-hour ritual immediately. Slithering, shaking, stomping, grooving! The Old Man kicked out all the jams. Lawdy! What a flurry of feet and flash!....Make it Funky…..Pleasepleasepleeeeeaase….unnh! Get on Up….Heh! Ha!

The man is a triple-caped gigolo, pimping out the holy human sex sound locked in the gene pattern. He howls like a captured tiger, each note steady and strong. Every sterling syllable streams out like a seraphic night train into the full moon sky. The bliss-wet crowd cavorts en masse, hooting and caterwauling savagely. He slows it down…..gospel style. Big Finish. No encore.

Our departure was one seamless shuffle to the car. Somehow we managed to lose the car keys inside. Stalled, perhaps, by Fortune to soak up the lingering scents of the predawn twilight.

Finally we make it to a truck stop Waffle House to refuel our rattled bodies. The waitress was a strange specimen of the outback female—pimply, certainly intoxicated and glistening under the harsh glare of the fluorescent light. “Pot smoking causes…..I forget…heh,heh,heh…” was her opening line. The rest of her twaddle has since faded from my memory, but this backwoods nymph drooled out a fine epitaph for our exhausted night: “the Spirit of Suwannee is the most beautiful place you could ever go.”

Truly.

2013-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Part of my 2013 goals has been to participate in more pet-themed events to get the word out about my pet portraits. On the last weekend of April I went to Tampa for "Waterchase Unleashed". I set up camp with the wonderful ladies who run Woof There It Is--a pet grooming shop in Westchase where I have my paintings on display. I met a lot of nice people and had a hoot mingling with all the pooches.

Hiding from the sun....

The Set Up for Waterchase Unleashed

Hello!!

A rare black bulldog. His name is Congo

Me and Prince

Paige Allison and Rebecca La Munyan of Woof There It Is Working Their Grooming Magic

Five Questions, A Million Answers

2013-07-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

I was recently interviewed by "Articulate" the blog of Creative Pinellas. Fortunately for me they edited down my long and rambling responses to the 5 simple questions. I really enjoyed the opportunity to explain my passion for pet portraits and why I do them. You can read the whole interview by clicking HERE....or here if you REALLY don't wanna click the link. Jeez.... ;-)
Five Questions: Robert Phelps

By Gina Vivinettoon February 12, 2013 11:19 AMArtist Robert Phelps is "a very curious cat." All artwork pictured by Robert Phelps.

St. Petersburg artist Robert Phelps has painted everything from prizefighters to rock stars to, more recently, pets. In fact, Phelps has begun his own Pet Portraits line. The portraits, so far mostly of clients’ dogs and cats, are beautiful, evocative, even witty. (Disclosure: I’m a repeat customer.)
Phelps takes time out of his day to answer five questions about his art background, his creative inspirations, and why he’s opted to switch his focus from human to animals.

1. Is it true you’re a self-taught painter? Tell us how it all began.

I've always been inclined towards drawing and painting and would while away the hours drawing monsters, warriors and ninjas as a kid. I was obsessed with comics. I wouldn't describe myself as particularly talented or precocious but certainly dedicated and fascinated. I have a strange way of holding pencils (because my hands have an oddly extended thumb angle) that teachers tried forever to correct me of. Later I would be chastised for the way I would be "messy" in my artistic approach. Fortunately for me I never learned to paint "properly." Expressiveness and looseness are my stock in trade.

I couldn't afford to go to art school and, having always been an autodidact anyway, decided to just leap into the fray. I'm sure I would have benefited from some formal training but I kind of like that I've made my own little paths along the way. I love learning new ways to do things but I always end up in my laboratory tinkering away instead of in a classroom. I left community college after a year and half to go work for Disney as a scenic painter at the Animal Kingdom.
From then on it's been a non-stop journey of working to make a living with my brush. I've worked as a scenic painter, caricature artist, portrait artist, decorative painter, muralist, illustrator, and fine artist. I've definitely put in my 10,000 hours.

2. What got you started on pet portraits?

It struck me that our pets have a unique ability to bring us satoris throughout the day. I'm sure you've noticed that even the most hard and emotionally closed people warm up and smile when they put their hands on a cat or a dog. It's like watching a sudden bloom. It's one of the few times certain people feel free to be loving. If I were to assign a lofty aim to art in general it would be to help us actualize and grow. From my perspective our pets and animal companions elicit our very highest human emotions and potential. They are the most simple and earthy creatures--they keep us grounded in all the lower energies and impulses (i.e. humping and fighting in the dog park) while simultaneously arousing profound compassion and "humanity" for lack of a better word.

Pet portraits as I am attempting to paint them have a very special meaning to me. Not to sound too hippy but I see them as flowers in a massive garden. I've never been concerned with being the most current, hip or clever artist. I'm a little too hillbilly for that. I just like seeing what happens when I paint. It's sort of mysterious to me.

As far as my current subject matter goes, I want to beam out what animals radiate out to us. It's pure, it's simple, it's life affirming. In a world that is loaded with frenetic, ever-shifting digital images (which ironically have rendered painting somewhat obsolete) I want to create these simple, joyous eye-bombs that are both still and alive. I want to sow them like seeds in a garden and spread them out. Animals, and particularly those we are most familiar with, speak to us in a language we need more than ever right now. We don't need more information, or terror, or cleverness, or grandeur, or complexity. We need truth. We need peace. We need clarity. All things our pets freely give to us. It's a very simple language to learn. We all already know it. I think we need reminding sometimes.

3. Do you have pets of your own?

I have two cats, Jack and Lily. Jack is a black and white tuxedo cat and he's a total love monster. I've never met a friendlier cat. He's also a very mischievous and destructive bastard--which I absolutely love. He's simultaneously the dumbest and smartest cat I've ever seen. I'm constantly feeling duped by his devious antics. His dirtiest trick is when he wants me to get up he will climb under the bed and start scratching from the underside. Well played, Jack! Then he'll try to eat a rubber band or something and I'm convinced he's a mad little hatter. Lily is a husky gray tiger. She hates almost everyone but me, which I find hilarious. It's super rare that she will let anyone else touch her. She loves me and can't get enough lap time with yours truly but when she's angry she's terrifying. I remember the vets at a feline clinic saying she was one of the worst cats they had ever seen. In her defense I don't think I'd be all that happy about a surprise rectal thermometer invasion either.

I purposely bought rustic wood bookshelves for my giant collection of books. Lily has been diligently destroying the lower half of the biggest bookshelf, clawing an ever-deepening valley into the side. Jack prefers breadth to depth and has made confetti of my office chair, ottoman and a few couches. I appreciate that when they bother to do something it's done with passion.

4. You've painted Mike Tyson and Mick Jagger, and now animals. What are some other subjects that have interested you?

To me they are all really the same thing--archetypes basically. I'm naturally inclined towards seeing things in a Jungian/symbolic sense. A painting of Mike Tyson isn't just a portrait to me. I cram him in a big canvas so you can really feel his overpowering, menacing presence. He's not just a man looking at you. Iron Mike is an ancient character--the Warrior, the Villain, the King--all of which we have inside of us. The same goes for my nymphs and satyrs--lust, abundance, freedom, summer, youth, magic, etc. I try to keep things simple (which, funnily enough, is pretty difficult) so that the "voice" of the subject is clear. We resonate with images because they are us.

I suppose most everything that truly interests me has a certain wildness to it. I was fortunate to grow up in very raw, mountainous terrain. I spent my childhood summers totally feral wandering West Virginian mountains with my brother. When it was time to go back to school I was never sure how to act. I was too full of barbaric yawps. I still am. The structure and concerns of school and society are necessary for culture but very numbing to the mind and spirit in overloading doses. Too much pastoral beauty can turn you into a cow though. Civilization with all its angles sort of rubs against your brain and polishes your mind. The city has its own wildness though, just as nature has its order. I find both worlds very inspiring. When I was in high school I made a painting of the Parisian Opera House spiral staircase winding its way into an equally magnificent tree.

The juxtaposition of raw and refined is what inspires me most. How we interact with the pressures from inside and the elements outside. It takes courage to grow as nature has designed you, especially if you want to get along with others. I appreciate most of all those wild beasties that are very stubbornly themselves, even if they are horrible bastards. Often because they are horrible bastards. What's a lion without his roar? Then again, what's a teacup Chihuahua without his adorable tremble? Both are beautiful in their own way.

5. Who are your favorite artists, or, people who inspire you creatively?

That list is impossibly long. I'm a ridiculous fanboy for a massive pantheon of artists, writers, comedians, athletes, entertainers and musicians. Even contemplating my catalog of favorite artists is too daunting--Takashi Murakami, Inka Essenhigh, Amedeo Modigliani, Ben Shahn, Gustav Klimt, Paul Gauguin, etc. I have a special place in my heart for Pablo Picasso though. I love that he was unabashedly multi-faceted in his styles. Visually, he was always flitting from blossom to blossom like a bee. It helps me feel okay about my own penchant to mix it up. His graphic sense was extraordinary and his dedication to mastering the art of simplicity was legendary.

I have very strong likes, dislikes and opinions about what I favor but in essence I think of things from a big picture perspective. For instance, baseball bores the hell out of me but on a macro level I understand the phenomenon of being totally in love and engrossed in something--in this case a sport (I love watching fights). If baseball is on your wavelength for whatever reason then you see the "art" in it. You soak it up, you are absorbed in it, you study it, you master it. I happen to like a certain kind of painting or writing or music because it speaks to me. It helps me see, it helps me grow. I figure it's the same with everyone.

That is really how I see art. It has more to do with attention than any other metric. That's what I respond to creatively. That's what inspires me. The same thing that inspires everyone--where you get your kicks. That's what my artistic challenge has always been. I like too many things. It's all art to me. It's all the same thing and I'm a very curious cat. Once I fall under the siren's spell and dive in the water then I'm hooked. Octopuses, nudes, ancient Celts, Adam Carolla, Bjork, Hunter Thompson, Iggy Pop, haikus, boxing, Jenny Saville, France, snapdragons ... I'm a mess ... I want to know everything about the subject. I want to imbibe it like some sort of magic elixir. And the Pandora's Box of the internet makes unlimited research so enticing.

So painting pets has been an interesting experiment for me. That is what is inspiring me at the moment. Ironically it is very liberating to focus on a singular subject matter. So for now it's dogs, cats and critters. That's it. Nothing else. Staying focused.
OK, maybe ninjas ... and the Kinks ... and Monica Bellucci. Dammit.

Tags: Art + DESIGN, Gina Vivinetto

- See more at: http://www.articulatesuncoast.com/blogs/art-design/9-art-design/256-five-questions-robert-phelps#sthash.ykAxAa2M.dpuf

Why I Paint Pets

2013-07-28T11:54:00.002-07:00

Memorial Pet Portrait of Bailey by Robert Phelps

Hi, my name is Robert Phelps. I'm an artist living in St. Pete, Florida. This is my second blog. My first one is for my business Painted Poetry, LLC. I'm an expressive figurative artist with a background in decorative painting. Over the years I've been painting more and more pet portraits so I decided it was time to feature them in a blog of their own. Viola!

So why pet portraits? Simple. Because I love animals--all of them, especially the ones who make our lives richer and fuller. I feel that in our complex world the simplicity of our animal companions keeps us grounded in reality and connected to the Earth in a real and tangible way. In an interesting and ironic way I feel the simplest creatures reflect and inspire our highest emotions. Even people who can't express love or joy in society melt like fondue when in the presence of a dog or cat. They feel free to be open, unguarded and caring to a furry friend.

Artistically I enjoy the challenge. Each animal is unique and finding ways to express their individuality is fun and interesting for me. And most gratifyingly of all is the way my clients respond to the artwork. Sometimes they tear up when they see the finished project. Often I conspire with a spouse or friend to surprise their recipient with the painting--that is a lot of fun.

So, that's it for now. Hello, how do you do? I paint pets for me and you ;-)

Artist Robert Phelps with a few of his portraits

You Gotta Know When To Hold 'Em, Know When To Fold 'Em

2013-04-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be"--Lao Tzu

Robert Phelps the Warehouse Monkey

Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself and your career is to stop. At least for a little while. From October 15, 2012 to April 1, 2013 I worked at HSN as a "scenic technician". I only made it 5.5 months at a regular job. I gave it my best shot but by now I'm far too feral and entrepreneurial to work hourly. I met a lot of really interesting people but more importantly I became, through a vast perspective shift, reacquainted with myself--and more importantly, my goals.

Prior to taking this position I had spent the better part of 17 years working as an artist in various forms--fine artist, illustrator, muralist, faux painter, scenic artist, caricaturist, product designer, web master, etc. It was a good run but I had finally reached that dreaded point that all creative types must at some time endure--burnout. I have stubborn Irish genes so I just fought the notion of giving up at all costs. I fantasized about a stable and secure income and a nice, steady paycheck but I was unwilling to let go of all that I had built.

Robert Phelps, corporate stooge ;-)

Ultimately though, I found the bottom of the barrel and just wanted a reprieve from the daily grind and hustle of maintaining an art career in a protracted recession. So, imagining the grass to be greener in the neighbor's field I hopped the fence and signed on at HSN. As a guy who perhaps too strongly associates with his work I found myself in a whole new role/identity in a job I had no training for and very little understanding of. I was grateful for the opportunity but felt as though I had been sucked into a vortex of confusion. I did my best to retrain my mind to accept this new reality but I just couldn't.

I found myself chafing at the shackles of regular employment. There was no room for creativity, adaptability, or innovative thinking. In true Irish fashion I had signed on for a workhorse position (despite the title of "scenic technician") as a warehouse monkey. All day, every day I struck and set Studio sets with ridiculously heavy props and furniture. Everything was a novelty-level pain in the ass. Schlepping massive rolled rugs, painting and repainting props to suit each set design, loading and unloading the moving truck. Essentially I was a mover. I'll tell the tales of my adventures at HSN another time but for now I'll just say I was a fish out of water flopping around.

Robert Phelps--set model for "blocking" photos

The story has a happy ending though. I find that although the work was grueling and exhausting I am recharged and renewed in my artistic intent. The break between what was and what will be is distinctly marked with a fascinating chapter which I suspect will ultimately be profoundly useful. I met some really great people and lost 20 pounds of depression weight (recession-fueled depression resulting in over-eating and boozing).

Having wandered so far away from my "home" as an artist I now am refreshed with appreciation for what I do. I can see it anew and enjoy it in a much more fun way. I spent that entire 5.5 months working on my business from outside of it (I spent every day at lunch doing web work and reviewing my business plan and technical challenges) and now I can plug the leaks that drained me so badly in the past. So, not to get too Taoist about it I can honestly say the best way to find yourself sometimes is to get totally lost. Try it, you'll like it.

5 Questions with Robert Phelps

2013-02-16T18:47:00.002-08:00

This was a fun little experiment. Recently I was interviewed by Articulate, the blog of Creative Pinellas. It's super weird seeing your thoughts in print. They usually just rattle around in the ol' melon. You can check it out by clicking HERE

Simple pleasures

2013-02-16T12:19:00.001-08:00

I couldn't ask for better clients! I arrived at the job this morning and they whipped me up some breakfast of a perfectly cooked cheese omelet, handmade hash-browns bacon, toast, fresh coffee--the works. I had a fascinating conversation with the husband who very thoroughly and civilly explained his (Republican) views on the US economic policies and why he strongly disagrees with President Obama. Although I don't completely agree with all of his points I really learned a lot and appreciated the discussion and exchange of ideas. I offered to do some extra work for free. It's amazing how a little civility and reason can totally make your day!

Kids Murals By An Overgrown Kid

2012-12-15T06:12:00.002-08:00

I love children and one of the best and most important parts of my work is creating special and cozy places for them. I love making scenes just for them--images that reflect their hopes and dreams and provide a safe place for them to dream. I get to paint unicorns, castles, lions, jungles trucks, and a million other fun things.

Love Conquers All

2012-12-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Love Conquers All Mural by Robert PhelpsI don't usually sign my murals but if you see a little bird in perched anywhere that's my signature. He's a little hard to see in this one but my little sparrow is in the bottom right corner. I really liked how this one came out and especially the message. Amor Vincit Omnia means "Love Conquers All"

Ninja Monkeys Protect Newborn Baby!

2012-10-14T11:11:00.001-07:00

This was really fun to see. A lovely couple here in St. Petersburg bought some of my ninja monkey decals to dress up their baby nursery. I'm so going to make more of these. They kick ass!

Ninja Monkeys attack!

Robert Phelps Ninja Monkeys are awfully sexy on you!

Monster Party Day 4.....Mitt Zombie v. Zombie Obama

2012-10-11T15:35:00.001-07:00

Mitt Zombie vs. Zombie Obama....who will win?!

What the what?! I just discovered that you can make dartboards on Zazzle ! I've been having fun tinkering with some new Political Monster designs in my new store. I'm totally gonna make a bunch of these dart boards. Cool!

I'm hoping the VP debate with stir the pot enough to raise the visibility of my stores Political Poison and my newly opened 2012 Halloween Weirdness portfolio.

Time to make some dartboards and some new designs......

Monster Party Day 3

2012-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

I've decided to have some fun this month. I felt like it would be fun to ride this wave of political zeitgeist with the upcoming elections and make some political designs. Unfortunately this proved too boring....until I started monkeying around with Halloween imagery. I decided that politicians ARE monsters so I might as well reflect them in all their hideous glory.

I've been having a blast adding them to a new Zazzle store called Political Poison. The image of my brother dressed as Abraham Lincoln on the top always makes me laugh my ass off. I'm experimenting with new designs daily. They also make really cool prints!

Slap THIS on the ass of your car this election seaon.....

Why does he look more animated as a zombie?

You can drink coffee, tea or blood out of these.

Today's monstrous experiment actually made me laugh out loud. The face on my Mitt Zombie design is hilarious in my book. I really had fun putting the blood on the shirt. It's like a new toy I can't stop playing with!

Monster Party Day 2

2012-10-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

OK, Seriously.....These bags are gonna be awesome for collecting candy.

This is a cool design for both Obama lovers n' haters alike

Franken Romney.....because he's stiff and boring....get it?

This is how I see all politicians....mutants!

I've been having a blast adding them to a new Zazzle store called Political Poison. The image of my brother dressed as Abraham Lincoln on the top always makes me laugh my ass off. I'm experimenting with new designs daily. They also make really cool prints!