I wasn’t familiar with his work and wanted to look him up before the meet and greet so……. I went to my friend google!!

 Well, come to find out, in addition to his own Wikipedia page, his works are collected by museums such as the Bibliothèque nationale (Paris), the Getty Museum (Los Angeles, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Museum Ludwig (Cologne), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), to name a few.

 Maybe his aptitude for science, mixed with a true calling and passion for the arts, has gifted him with the ability to combine chemicals with the art of photography!

I loved this description of his process that was on an invite from a show he did in Venice- “For Many of his works, Stivers begins with a sharply focused negative that is then manipulated in the printing process causing intentional loss of clarity to achieve, sensual, dream-like images.”

And this image has been in by dreams for a while.  Loving it so much I contemplated using it for my new paint line.  Unfortunately, They had already put our existing labels into production.  I adore the contemporary feel of  such antique elements!

Here is a snap shot I took at his studio of the same version in pink! The richness and the vibrancy of color are enchanting! This pieces can be toned to most colors and printed in any size to be used as an over scaled impact piece or  as a collection of vibrant tones hung together!!

Here is another manipulation of the traditional dark room process! One’s mind begins to wonder-is it a painting, or a photograph. Either way, it catches the  soul of the person and is both mysterious and thought provoking!

His new series which will be the focus of his sixth photography book, uses animals as his subject and vibrancy of color to create shadowy, powerful imagery.  They ask us to love the beasts inside ourselves, not only the ones that exist happily, but those in torment, waiting for the right moment to escape, to reveal themselves and allow us to confront the fullness of our personalities. –Eugenia Parry

 “Robert is like an alchemist,” Greenberg-Wyman explains. “He uses lens based photography and handles materials flipping things back and forth – sometimes overexposing, sometimes underexposing depending upon what’s going on with him. Then he might re-shoot a print he’s already made and manipulate it further in the darkroom by enriching the tone of the gelatin silver print with more selenium or another kind of polytoner. That’s how he performs, like in a lab.”

 

Although Robert does name his artwork, most he keeps simple like the above “Red Shoes”.  He loves hearing what others are inspired to name the piece.  It enables him to learn more about the  person, and then intern learn even more about himself!  It is hard to believe that the above is photography with it’s dream like quality!  What would you name this piece?

I loved my visit with Robert and our continued friendship!!  Thank you Robert for sharing yourself and some of your work with us- for an artist that is one in the same! I appreciated your creativity, your humble nature, your desire to always reinvent yourself and your true passion to create! You have inspired me more than you know!! For more information on Robert’s art you can follow his Instagram robert.stivers. or  visit his website  . 

Thanks to all who have already voted. I think we just have a  week to vote for Segreto Secrets for Best Company Blog so I would so appreciate your vote and  spreading the word!  I hope you all enjoy your week!  xo Leslie