statement

This work grew out of a trip to the middle east, where I couldn't ignore the collision between politics and religion. The experience translated into large-scale drawings and paintings that follow some of the connections between politics and religion.

Carbon is what we arise from, and return to, "ashes to ashes." Carbon fuels our creative and destructive nature. These issues define our politics and religion, so I began with "Bet Sheharim," a drawing that references shelter, life and eternity, appropriately executed in carbon. This became a series of drawings on "carbon issues."

My process begins with a single issue; a starting point to consider tangential issues that increase my scope, and generate my images.

I have chosen to work through illusionist narrative.  The narrative content continues to feed a fascination with connecting threads in social fabric, the illusionist format uses the unchanging reality of sight to reinforce continuity.

bio

born: 1952, Detroit, Michigan

education

University of Iowa, MFA, 2006
University of Iowa, MA, 1976
Michigan State University, BFA, 1974

selected awards/honors

Best In Show, Contemporary Realism Biennial, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 2010
Grant, Pollack-Krasner Foundation, New York, 1995
Grant, ArtServe Michigan, 1999
Benard Maas Prize, Detroit, Michigan, 2004

selected publications

American Arts Quarterly, Volume 29, Number 4, Cover, and pp. 58-61, Fall, 2012
Contemporary Realism Biennial 2012, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 2012
Scott, Ron, "The Collected Knowledge Of Robert Schefman", ArtHopper.org, May 23,2012
"Robert Schefman", Poets and Artists Magazine, October 2010, pp. 68-73

selected solo or two-person exhibits

Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI, 2012
Carbon and Gold, The Art Gallery, Macomb Community College, Clinton, MI, 2011
Meadowbrook Art Gallery, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 2005
Midland Center For The Arts, Midland, MI, 2002

selected group shows

Contemporary Realism Biennial 2012, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 2012
Art Platform LA, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, 2012
Narrative Fragments, Quidley & Co Fine Art, Boston, MA, 2012
Midwest Drawing Invitational, University of St. Francis, Ft Wayne, IN, 2012