BIO

I often find inspiration and joy in the more subtle details of Nature. It could be viewing a patch of wildflowers and grasses or, glancing into a dense backlit group of trees. The beauty and order that I intuitively sense here is stimulating and often prompts me to explore it further. I want to know the subject beyond observation– to bring forward that essence/spirit as well as the emotion aroused in myself into the formal context of a painting. The hope, desire, and fight is for the image to become “something else”, and as such a true painting. This visual metaphor is open-ended enough to invite the viewer to bring one’s own history into the conversation.

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It is the unknown that is constantly stimulating, challenging and, driving me forward.

The way is with the mind clear and the heart open.

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During the painting process I am always waiting for the moment when I can stop imposing myself upon the canvas and listen to what it needs. This “point of freedom” comes when I strive to follow its lead to realize what it wants to be. This is when the canvas starts to become an actual painting, whole and complete on to it self.

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Painting for me, as simply and succinctly as I can say it, is a journey. I only want paint and surface as a means of trying to discover deeper emotional and spiritual connections to Life as I experience it.

Mostly my work falls into one of three series that have been on going for years.

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“Waterscapes”— In these pieces I seek to retain the calm essence of still water,
exploring color, light, space and form in an ethereal way. More recently these seem to be morphing into the “Within and Beyond” series.

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“Tree Forms”— With these I deal with order—a structure of compressed vertical
tree forms, as in a forest. This is the antithesis of the “Waterscapes”

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“Garden Series”-The organic, complex and seemingly chaotic structures I find in
the Garden are mesmerizing. These compositions tend to be more
dynamic.

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EXHIBITION HISTORY

2019 One person show, Boulder Junction, Boulder, CO

2017 One person show, Globe Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

2015 One person show, Highland Gallery, Boulder, CO
2014 Three person show, Trudy Labell Fine Art, Naples, FL
2011 One person show, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM.
2009 One person show, Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.
2008 One person show, Blink Gallery, Boulder, CO.
2003-07 One person show each year, Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.
Two person show, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX.
1989-02 One person show each year, Contemporary Southwest Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.
1998-02 One person show each year, Maclaren Markowitz Gallery, Boulder, CO.
2002 Group Show, Leslie Levy Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ.
2000 Group Spring Show, Ottinger Gallery, Chicago, IL.
1998 One person show, Jayne Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
Group Landscape Show, Susan Street Fine Art, San Diego, CA.
1997 Three person show, Maclaren Markowitz Gallery, Boulder, CO.
Group Landscape Show, Susan Street Fine Art, San Diego, CA.
1996 Two person show, Jayne Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1995 One person show, Susan Street Fine Art Gallery, San Diego, CA.
1994 One person show, Jayne Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
Two person show, Leslie Levy Fine Art, Scottsdaie, AZ.
1993 Two person show, Leslie Levy Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ.
1992 Contemporary Landscapes, a traveling invitational show sponsored by the New Mexico Arts
Division and the Santa Fe Council for the Arts.
New Mexico Celebration, an invitational show, The Munson Gallery, Vero Beach, FL.
1991 A Sense of Place, an invitational show to benefit The Wilderness Society, Santa Fe, NM.

Contemporary Landscapes, a traveling invitational show sponsored by the New Mexico Arts Division and the Santa Fe Council for the Arts.
1990 Two person show, Partners Gallery Ltd, Bethesda, MD.
Spring Preview Show, Contemporary Southwest Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.
1989 Group Show, Gallery Christine, Harbor Springs, Ml.
1988 Two person show, The Barrett Gallery, El Paso, TX.
1987 One person show, Galeria Capistrano, Santa Fe, NM.
Three person show, Partners Gallery Ltd., Bethesda, MD.
Invitational show, Galeria Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA.
1983-87 Invitational show, Lubbock Arts Festival, Lubbock TX.
1986 Two person show, Sena Galleries East, Santa Fe, NM.
1985 Invitational show, Sena Plaza Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
Juried show, Fuller Lodge Art Center, Los Alamos, NM.
1984 Juried show, Bank of Santa Fe Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
Invitational show, Little Plaza Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1982 Evolving Images, an invitational show. Santa Fe Festival of the Arts, Santa Fe, NM.
1981 The New Figuratives, an invitational show. Ernesto Mayans Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.

COLLECTIONS

Robert Striffolino’s work is in many private and corporate collections both nationally and internationally, some of which are; US West, Hollister, Inc., Ohio State University, Trammell Crow (Shaw Park Plaza, St. Louis, MO), American National Insurance Company, Oprah Winfrey (Harpo, Inc.). AMG National Trust Bank, Chicago, IL, Certus Bank, Greenville, SC

PUBLICATIONS

American Art Collector, feature article in November 2011 issue.
Art Journey New Mexico, 104 Painters’ Perspectives, from the editors of The Collector’s Guide © 2009.
Southwest Art Magazine, feature article in November 2008 issue.
Focus/Santa Fe Magazine, feature article in November/December 2004 issue.
Focus/Santa Fe Magazine, feature article in April-May 2000 issue.
1999 New Mexico Distinguished Artists Calendar, Expressionist Landscapes, published by New Mexico Magazine.
Focus/Santa Fe Magazine, feature article in January-March 1996 issue.
Art of the West Magazine, feature article in September-October 1996 issue.
Southwest Art Magazine, feature article in June 1989 issue.
Limited edition serigraphs published by Winn Devon Art Group Ltd. Seattle, WA.
Limited edition etchings published by Leslie Levy Fine Art Publishing, Inc. Scottsdale, AZ.
Posters published by Leslie Levy Fine Art Publishing, Inc. Scottsdale, AZ.
Posters published by Winn Devon Art Group Ltd. Seattle, WA.
Posters published by Bentley Publishing Group (Leslie Levy Publishing), Walnut Creek, CA.