Creating a style all his own
Joseph Vasquez /
The Collegian
Robert Weibel is an innovative
artist who works out of his Raw Ink Studio in downtown Fresno. His
art is on display at Silva Design. |
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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