Resume

My career in the fields of advertising illustration, children’s book illustration, and painting has spanned thirty-five years. Winslow Homer’s work as an illustrator and painter has been the single greatest influence on my artistic path. Additionally, Edward Hopper, N.C. and Andrew Wyeth, John Singer Sargent and Norman Rockwell have all had some influence on my work. Unlike Homer, I experience the rewards that come from a loving marriage to my wife Elizabeth, and from our four children, three grandsons, close family, and longtime friends.

Rhode Island School of Design 1975 -1979 Bachelor of Fine Arts

Art Professors / Instructors: Akira Arita, Lester Abrams, Trent Burleson, Hardu Keck, Roger Pontbriand, David MacCaulay, Mahler Ryder, Thomas Sgouros, Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges, Chris VanAllsburg

Education

ProfileRobert Carl Bolster Jr. Born 19567 Hope Street, Walpole, Massachusetts, 02081www.robertbolster.com — www.robbolster.com508-660-1751, 508-641-7548 mobile

Student Recognition1979 Second Place, Society of Illustrators Annual Scholarship Competition, NY1979 Degree Project illustration chosen for Grit Magazine’s annual calendar, illustrated by top American Illustrators.

Self-Employment Present-1979

Painting Present -1997

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Group Exhibitions2015-14 Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA2015-07 Renjeau Galleries, Natick, MA2015-08 Walsingham Gallery, Newburyport, MA2015-10 Cavalier Galleries, Nantucket, MA & Greenwich, CT2014-13 Hearle Gallery, Chatham, MA2013-12 Sheldon Fine Art, Newport, RI2012-10 Dean Day Gallery, Houston, TX2011-07 Wynne/Falconer Gallery, Chatham, MA2010-09 Nantucket Artworks, Nantucket, MA2010-06, 04, 03 Duxbury Art Assoc., Duxbury, MA2009-07 Fountain Street Open Studios, Framingham, MA2009-97 Zullo Gallery, Medfield, MA

Two Person Exhibitions2014 The Walsingham Gallery, Newburyport, MA2013 The Walsingham Gallery, Newburyport, MA2012 The Renjeau Gallery, Natick, MA

Three Person Exhibition2009 The Walsingham Gallery, Newburyport, MA

Awards2012 Selected by American Express from eighty local candidates and commissioned to paint an image representing Boston, Massachusetts. “The U.S.S. Constitution”2011 Juror of Duxbury Art Association’s Summer Juried Exhibition2010 Second Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Winter Juried Show2009 Second Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Winter Juried Show2007 First Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Winter Juried Show2006 Second Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Winter Juried Show2004 Third Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Winter Juried Show2003 Third Place, Oil & Acrylic Duxbury Art Assoc., Midsummer Juried Show

Artist’s statementCarefully selected subjects, design, and technique are evidence of my desire to create a captivating piece of fine art. As a boy, I was drawn to the work of Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, and N.C. Wyeth. Knowing these renowned painters began in illustration encouraged me to pursue a career in painting. Therefore, in 2007, after spending twenty-eight years as a illustrator, I embarked on a career as a painter. As an artist, my focus is to capture special moments that occur in the waters along the Atlantic coastline.Initially, I took a traditional approach to all of the paintings I created. As I continued to work with oils, memories of “Freshman Foundation” at Rhode Island School of Design, nearly three decades earlier, resurfaced. During that year I completed an assignment that required the use of squares from a gridded image. Consequently, while working on an 18 X 24 painting, I expanded on the gridded approach by isolating complex foreground areas of the composition. I was intrigued by the process and by the painting, which I titled Duxbury Fog. Therefore, in 2008 I completed my first large scale work by creating individual square paintings to form a unified image in which the squares are subtly celebrated. The 60x60 inch painting Tidal Remains is the first work I produced in what I refer to as my “squares” series. Currently, I find myself drawn to both methods of painting - traditional and the “squares” approach. While I consider my traditional style to be a simplified expression of my work as an artist, I view my “squares” series as a contemporary abstraction of my traditional paintings.As I approach each new canvas, I find myself in the same place that every painter throughout history has been. The blank, two-dimensional surface before me contains the promise of a new learning experience, and an opportunity to complete a piece of art to which viewers will be drawn.

Associations2015, 2011-97 Duxbury Art Association, 2008-07 Museum of Fine Arts, 2008-07 Fountain Street Studios member

Book IllustrationPresent-1990

Killer Whale Vs. Great White SharkLion Vs. TigerPolar Bear Vs. Grizzly BearTyrannosaurus Rex Vs. VelociraptorHammerhead Vs. Bull Shark

Komodo Dragon Vs. King CobraTarantula Vs. ScorpionWolverine Vs. Tasmanian DevilWhale Vs. SquidHornet vs. Wasp

Who Would Win? 16 title series - design and illustration

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PublishersCharlesbridge, Houghton Mifflin, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster

Rhino Vs. HippoAlligator Vs. PythonLobster Vs. CrabUltimate Ocean RumbleRattlesnake Vs. Secretary Bird

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Public Speaking Present - 2002 “Life Is For Learning,” art enrichment presentation. Contains over 275 images - digital and traditional drawing demonstrations. Presented to students in: Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

2008 Literacy Compass conference guest speaker, 2003 Authors on the Beach conference guest speaker

Book Illustration continuedGoing LobsteringAirplane Alphabet BookJet Alphabet BookConstruction Alphabet BookU.S. Navy Alphabet Book

Cheerios Counting BookApple FractionsCount to a MillionOne Hundred Ways to get to 100How Big Is It?How Fast Is It?Hershey Math Series Hershey’s Fractions BookReese’s Pieces Count By FivesReese’s Pieces Count By TensHershey’s Kisses AdditionHershey’s Kisses SubtractionHershey’s MultiplicationHershey’s Multiplication & DivisionTwizzlers Percentages BookTwizzlers Shapes and PatternsFrom Addition to Multiplication

From Shapes to GeometryHershey’s Weights and MeasuresMath Equals Fun SeriesAdditionSubtractionPizza Fractions BookCount By FivesCount By TensMultiplicationMultiplication & DivisionWeights and MeasuresAdding Pizza FractionsMultiplicationMultiplication & DivisionFrom Addition to MultiplicationFrom Simple Shapes to Geometry

Advertising illustration2000-1979 Commissioned to create illustrations for advertising agencies and American corporations.

Partial client listRecognition1994 Honorable Mention, Communication Arts Annual1988 Merit Award, The Art Director’s Club of Boston1988 Merit of Distinction, Creative Club of Boston1983 Merit Award, The Art Director’s Club of Boston

American ExpressAmerican TouristerBank of BostonBank of New EnglandBaskin RobbinsBoston Edison Boston GlobeBoston Museum of Fine ArtBoston Museum of ScienceBudget Car Rental

Carol CableCitizens BankConverseEtonicDupontFidelity InvestmentsGenuityJet BlueJohn Hancock InsuranceMass. State Lottery

Marriot HotelsNew England TelephoneNynexOcean SprayRockport ShoeSonesta HotelsTom’s of MaineVerizonWestin Hotels Xerox

Allen & Gerritsen, Arnold, Aquent, BBDO New York, Cabot, Clarke Goward, Devine & Pearson, Digitas Boston & New York, Fidelity, Gearon Hoffman, Hill Holiday, Horton Church & Goff, Ingalls, Leonard Monahan Saabye, Mullen, Ogilvy & Mather Chicago, Quinn & Johnson, Rosin Greenburg Seronick, Simon & Partners, Wooding & Housley

Partial agency list