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Blog 2017

News and information on my 3 dimensional (3D) paintings, videos, shows, thoughts, struggles and successes.





Shirk & Richley Art Show video. - 12/31/17.

Art Show Invitation

You're invited to experience the 3 dimensional paintings of Robert Shirk. Meet the artist reception is March 3rd from 4:00 - 8:00pm at Arts on Granada, 67 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach, Florida. Free beer & wine!


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Cattleya - Paradise Tami - 12/27/17.

Orchids are always a crowd favorite.

Just finished this painting of one of our orchids. It is one of the over 200 orchids my wife Loleita and I had when we lived in South Florida. Its painted with acrylic on 4 sheets of 24" x 32" plexiglass with Thai Unryu Paper.




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Orlando Museum of Art - 12/15/17.

1st Thursdays Juried Exhibit - The Art Of The Selfie.

It's an honor to have one of my paintings selected to participate in the Orlando Museum of Art's juried show 'The Art Of The Selfie' on January 4th.




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Award Winner - 11/16/17.

ArtistsRegistry.com Members Juried Exhibit

I had a wonderful time at CityArts Factory for the ArtistsRegistry Members Juried Show. Thanks to Jeff Shonkwiler for putting on the show, and doing a wonderful job hanging it. I'm also very grateful to Judge Ahlin for the Honorable Mention award my painting 'Hiogi Peek-A-Boo' received. Had some laughs with Vickie Vickie Wilson, Ronda Richley, Linda Saracino, Barbi Nowick, and Ev Niewoehner. I met a artist Doug Powell for the first time and enjoyed talking with him about his upcoming Spectrum showing at ArtBasel.




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ArtistsRegistry.com - 11/10/17.

Members Juried Exhibit

Very excited to have two of my paintings selected for the ArtistsRegistry.com Members Juried Exhibit.

The opening reception is Thursday, November 16 at 6 PM - 9 PM at the CityArts Factory 29 S Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801







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Award Winner - 10/29/17.

Blond Lips, 11"x14"

I'm very pleased to have my painting "Blond Lips" win an Honorable Mention award at the Art League of Daytona Beach members show.





Are my paintings examples of Pointillism? - 10/25/17.

No, not in the strictest sense.

I use dots for a different reason, and to a different effect than the Pointillist painters of the late 1800's.

The Pointillist painters were interested in using dots to visually mix colors. They used dots of different colors to simulate blended colors. For example, if dots of two colors are placed next to each other, from a distance they look like a third distinctive color.

The theory behind Pointillism was the precursor to the modern day 4 color process printing used to reproduce color photographs in magazines and newspapers today . . .

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SCOPE 2017 Miami - 10/25/17.

This is a great chance to get one of my paintings recognized during one of the most prestigious art shows of the year during Art Basel in Miami.

Here is a short video showing the satellite Art Show I'm trying to get into during ArtBasel in Miami. Voting is easy. Just go to this page and vote: https://www.bombayartisan.com/entry/julia/

This is a great chance to get one of my paintings recognized during one of the most prestigious art shows of the year during Art Basel in Miami. I'm hoping you can help me. All you have to do is vote for my portrait of my Aunt Julia.

Voting starts September 14th, and runs through November 7th, 2017. Voters are allowed to vote (1) time per day, but as many times as they would like over the course of those days. The two entries with the highest votes will be deemed the online winner and will advance and showcase their art at SCOPE Miami Beach.

Voting is easy. Just go to this page and vote: https://www.bombayartisan.com/entry/julia/

You may need to enter your date of birth to vote.

Thanks for voting early and often!

Vote Now!

Why Dots? - 10/10/17.

Why in the world would I create a painting consisting of mostly tiny dots?

To understand why I use dots, or small brushstrokes, you first must know that I am creating 3 dimensional paintings with many layers of clear plexiglass. I need to be able to see through one layer to the next layer, and to the next.

The dots, or small brushstrokes if spaced correctly only take up maybe 40% to 60% of an images surface area at most. This lets the viewer look through each layer to see the layer below it.

This layering creates actual foregrounds and backgrounds. Truly 3D. Each layer makes up a part of the whole image. The effect creates a 3 dimensional painting that moves and changes as the viewers perspective changes.



Under the Hood video. - 10/07/17.

Portrait of Julia

I just finished this short 1 min "Under the Hood" video of my latest painting 'Portrait of Julia'. The vid has very cool low fly-bys of the painting. The vid also shows the details of each of the 3 layers of plexiglass as they come together to create this painting. See more images and info on this dramatic and highly detailed piece here.


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I Just Finished This Painting - 10/05/17.

Selfie - Girl Before An iPhone.


Click to see a hi-res version of this image.


See more pictures and information about this painting here.



The subject of this portrait is Rachel Arron, an artist in Ogdon, Utah. When I saw this image of her on Facebook I knew I wanted to paint it. I messaged her and explained that I was an artist in Florida and I would like to paint the image of her. She gave the OK and I told her I'd get back with her once I finished a couple of paintings. I wasn't sure how I was going to approach the portrait, but I know it had great potential.

Things started falling into place when I read that the Orlando Museum of Art was going to . . .

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Just Delivered This Portrait - 09/16/17.

Petra Iston


Delivered my portrait of Petra Iston to Petra and JJ Graham at Salvo Art House. I hope they get as much enjoyment from it as I got from painting it.


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A Night Out With Marilyn - 08/27/17.


Looks like my portrait of 'Marilyn in Lace' is having some fun @ The Falcon with The Blacklist Babes Cabaret.

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Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine Art Show - 08/23/17.

Portrait of Julia


Wow, what a wonderful time at the Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine Art Show at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park, Florida. Great art, artists, wine, food, all in a wonderful venue. The painting of my Aund Julia was a part of the show. A special thanks goes out to the Judges: Amy Galpin, Tiffany Sanders and Kat Quast. And thanks to Lyndsay Fogarty and Catie Moore with the VS Media Group for all the help you gave me.



Loleita and I had a great time visiting with artists Dominic DaSylva, Linda Harrison, and Josie Pinkcombe.

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CityArts Factory "Art Right MEOW" - 08/17/17.

Portrait of Sparkle



Had a great time at The CityArts Factory Show 'Art Right MEOW'. Thank you Denna Beena for putting on such a fun event.








Had a nice visit with artists Ronda Richley and Vickie Wilson Wilson. Hope to spend more time with Dlynn Roll next time.

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Under the Hood video with fly-by - 08/15/17.

Hiogi Peek a Boo

I just finished this short 1 min "Under the Hood" video of my latest painting 'Hiogi Peek a Boo'. The vid has very cool low fly-bys of the painting. The vid also shows the details of each of the 5 layers of plexiglass as they come together to create this painting. See more images and info on this dramatic and highly detailed piece here.


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Just Finished This Painting - 08/14/17.

Hiogi Peek-a-Boo


Click to see a hi-res version of this image.


See more pictures and information about this painting here.

When I first saw this image of a beautiful Asien woman peeking out from under a scarlet red fan I thought of my Grandmother. My grandmother was not Asian, but she loved all things Asian. I lived with her until I was around 8 or 9, and remember all the wonderful Asian art, rugs, and furniture that surrounded me in my formative years. So when I saw this dramatic image, I just new I had to paint it.

The image also gave me a chance to explore the ruff textures of the [...]

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