Robert's profile
Robert Hoffman grew up in a small Indiana town, Being a loner as a child he would often ride his bike out into the country where his grandparents lived near a limestone quarry surrounded by woods. As a child he would play there, with his grandparents being amateur ornithologists, and with their influence on his fascination with birds, as well as the woods to explore, his fantasy could fly freely. these experiences converge in Robert’s mind to create a fantasy world for his birds. With these elements combined they become the fanciful worlds in which his birds exist and tell their narratives.
My artwork depicts lusciously colored, textured fantasy worlds in which a variety of birds exist together. They act out random narratives in whimsical and fictitious environments. I personify birds because we share similarities such as constructing homes in intricate ways, and “preening” ourselves to stay beautiful. The colors of my birds and their worlds are based on the magnificent array that we see in them, and in the environment and world.
The use of maps, the softness of embroidery thread, along with the gloss of 3D filament in my mountainous landscapes, demonstrate places that the birds would land, congregate, eat, nest. The multi layered elements in my overall work recreate the topography of the branches, briar, and ledges in my memory.
Some of the techniques that I use are decalcomania, frottage, fumage, collage, painting and drawing. I use mixed media, consisting of acrylic, watercolor, color pencil, graphite, pla filament and other media.
