“I love to do these kinds of covers with all the costumers and historical references.” In addition to oil paintings and magazine covers, Robert Papp has illustrated countless book covers, including this Young Adult series. We would take any job, just to get the experience.” A Little Secret (or Two) About His Success “It was a big thing back then because no one would trust you (as a commercial artist) without prior experience, and that meant a printed piece. “We were just happy to have work, something that would be printed,” he recalls. His first assignment was to illustrate a nose hair clipper … in use. Their first job was at a company that advertised clothes and other products in Sunday circulars and Parade magazine. He and his wife, Lisa, who is a writer and illustrator of children’s books, collaborated on assignments right out of college. His early assignments, while not exactly glamorous, were transformative. “While there has always been this battle between illustration and fine art, for me, it came down to realizing that someone might actually pay me for a piece of art I created.”įrom that moment on, art has been his profession as well as his passion. “At that point, things just clicked,” Robert continues. As a second- or third-year student at the duCret School of Art in Plainfield, N.J., he took a course taught by an excellent illustrator, “one of the biggest names in illustration, known for his covers of books by James Michener and other high-end authors,” he notes. Over the years, Robert has been mentored and inspired by many artists. Robert notes that he is “of course, very proud of the awards from Phillips’ Mill, especially the two Patron’s Awards (20),” adding that “I am partial to Phillips’ Mill as a local show with really quality work, juried by amazing artists that I look up to.” On Being an Artist: It Just Clicked While Robert did not get the chance to submit the painting to other shows, his work is well represented in juried national and international shows, including The Art Renewal Center, the Portrait Society of America and the Oil Painters of America.Ģ019- The Past President’s award from the Oil Painters of America National showĢ019 - Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional show award for realism.Ģ019- Portrait Society of America International Portrait Competition certificate of MeritĢ018- Portrait Society of America International Portrait Competition top fiftyĢ017 - 2021 Art Renewal Center Salon finalistĢ018 - "The Artist Magazine" annual competition, Still Life finalist
The painting is exquisite, conveying such honesty and integrity. We can certainly understand her disappointment. “The owner of the gallery told me about a woman that would come in and just stare at the red dot (indicating the painting was SOLD), trying to will it to change.” It sold almost immediately to a gallery in Charleston, South Carolina. Robert priced “The Christmas Tree Farmer” high, planning to submit it to multiple shows. “He is just this genuine, hardworking, humble, honest person.” “When I asked if he would pose for me, he was very gracious and natural, the kind of qualities I like to bring to life in portraits,” says Robert. Over time, he had gotten to know the farmer, and was always struck by his deep sense of pride. For Robert Papp, the annual ritual of buying a Christmas tree at the same nursery, year after year, drew him to the subject of his mesmerizing oil painting, “The Christmas Tree Farmer,” featured in this year’s Phillips’ Mill Juried Art Show. It is often the most ordinary of objects and familiar of experiences that touch and inspire us to create beauty. “The Christmas Tree Farmer” by Robert Papp
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