Cannon Beach, Oregon - Robert Schlegel’s landscape based compositions reflect explorations of various Northwest landscapes. Through representational interpretations of objects and settings from haunting cities, small towns, and coastal estuaries, to valleys, hills and farmlands, the forms, color and shapes from nature and man-made structures attempt to locate the balance between the objective and subjective within Schlegel’s paintings. Inspired by contemporary realists, like William Beckman, Robert Bechtle, Wolf Kahn and Russell Chatham, Schlegel defines his compositions through the light and structure of a place. Often painting plein aire, in the solitude of the landscape, Schlegel also sketches in pencil, wax crayon, oil pastel and colored pencil to capture the immediacy of a chosen scene, finishing his textured and expressive works in the studio.
Robert Schlegel is an Oregon artist who has received abundant recognition through various juried competitions including the current touring exhibit Art About Agriculture 2007: By Land and By Sea. This year Schlegel’s work was selected for a purchase award by Oregon State University and in both 2005 and 2006 Schlegel received awards for the west coast annual exhibit Expressions West at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, OR.
Robert Schlegel currently paints full-time after receiving a Masters in Education from Portland State University and completing 32 years in the education field. Schlegel’s work is included in various Oregon collections such as the Visual Chronicle of Portland, U.S. Bank, Umpqua Bank, and Washington County Percent for the Arts. On exhibition July 7- August 13, 2007.
White Bird Gallery - 251 N. Hemlock / Box 502 - Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110 - 503.436.2681 www.whitebirdgallery.com Summer Hours: Daily 11 - 5
