Creating a style all his own

By Nyrie Karkazian
The Collegian

To depict the nude human form in all its beauty is one of the most challenging and difficult forms of art.

But it has proven to be the most interesting form to one artist whose collection consists of various nude pieces.

This artist, Robert Weibel, began a quest to satisfy a restlessness about his future happiness about 12 years ago in the mists of working at his middle management job.

“I knew I was going to do something more meaningful and spiritual than inboxes and meetings,” Weibel said. “They say you die with a full inbox.”

Weibel said he was always drawing and doodling whatever he saw, but did not take any of it seriously until he realized how much frustration comes along with bureaucracy and being part of the machine.

About 10 years before his artistic awakening, Weibel went through a period of recovery.

“I had to hang up my shot glass and my pipe,” Weibel said.

After his revelation he decided to follow his bliss and take this interest further, but it would take him a few years to leave the life he knew for the life he wanted.

In 1991 Weibel began his exploration by taking a printmaking class. This form of art includes an etching press, two rollers and a metal bed, which transfers the artist’s ink image from a Plexiglas or a metal plate to paper. This method has been used for years by many renowned artists such as Durer, Callot and Rembrant.

Although Weibel is self-taught, he studied for a little while under one of the most influential and prestigious teachers, Keiji Shinohara, a traditional wood cut artist.

During these years of exploration he learned and practiced Aikido, literally meaning the life of (do) harmony (ai) and energy (ki).

Aikido is a type of martial art with the purpose of creating the least violence. The less violent you become, the more successful you are.

Weibel left his management position in public mental health and was, at last, doing exactly what he wanted. With this freedom of doing whatever you want, he said, comes responsibility. This is something he has to deal with, but is just part of the process. Though he still has his share of problems to deal with he said they are a joy compared to problems he had faced in the past and he is happy to have them.

He began to make prints and had his first art show in 1995. He said whatever he was meant to do he had not been doing, he was on hold, but this felt like it fit.

“The important decision I face today is that I feel I have to do genuine art,” Weibel said. “I don’t have to make something that matches with your sofa.”

Most of Weibel’s art consists of figurative images and any other ideas that pop into his mind. An English teacher once told him when you are starting out, write every poem that comes to mind, which is what he does with his artwork.

“The tide comes in and goes out,” Weibel says of his pieces of art.

Nearly all of Weibel’s pieces are in the form of a print or a collagraph.

Collagraphs are basically collages, different pieces of his work built up on top of each other and sealed. Another form of print is monotype, which is when either ink or paint is put on a piece of Plexiglas and pressed onto paper.

Weibel works out of his home studio called Raw Ink, which is appropriately titled because R.A.W. are his initials and he uses ink for his artwork.

Although he likes working in his home studio, he says he sometimes carries his work into the house and onto the dining room table, which his wife so graciously deals with.

“When I’m involved with my art is when I get lost,” Weibel said.

This month his art was hung in the Silva Design hair studio for the art hop every month in the Tower District.

Another great place to visit where all different kinds of art can be viewed in one place is Gallery 25, says Weibel.

Last year Weibel created the face, also called the muse, for the Rogue Festival, which is a yearly event for visual and performing arts in Fresno. His first big public art display was an installation he did for the Superior Court downtown.

Margaret Hudson, a fellow Fresnan, was painting the inside of the court and recommended Weibel for characters that were going to cover the outside of the building. He created and designed large figures that still hang on the outside of the courthouse powdercoated in different colors.

Weibel is an alumnus of Fresno State and says he still uses the library, but has not enjoyed it as much since it has been under construction. He said he used to walk around the art section looking at books on art that have been there forever, but have never been checked out.

Weibel’s art will be displayed during the Nudes in November show at the Sorensen Studio. This show will feature all types of figurative images in nude form.

“I’m lucky I get to do something that is close to my heart,” Weibel said. “My corazon.”

To see Robert Weibel’s artwork or contact him, please visit www.RobertWeibel.com.

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