Biography
Photo credit: Alex Chamberlain
Bio
Rob J Wilson grew up painting and drawing in the landscape of Southern Utah. From an early age he honed his art skills and at fourteen received an apprenticeship with a gallery painter, confirming his dream of being an artist. At eighteen he graduated summa cum laude with his BFA in Studio Art from Southern Utah University and went on to achieve his MFA in Figurative Painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Rob’s award winning work is exhibited nationally and collected internationally. His work deals strongly with themes of identity and perception as he pushes boundaries to draw attention to themes of social justice. He currently teaches art and design at Utah State University and is creating a new body of work which is a culmination of his talents, dedication, and artistic vision.
Artist Statement
My foundation as an artist was built upon the technical pursuit of traditional realism as I had a formal education rich in traditional methods. Soon into my career as an artist however I discovered the conceptual limitations of purely realist artwork and began to explore other forms of art making.
My current work rejects the veneration and validity of the art object. I explore the intersections of traditional and new media and seek to make cultural stratification obsolete by blending forms of high and low culture art. My artistic process uses traditional forms of drawing and painting combined with social media, the internet, film and photography, tattooing, and performance.
Curriculum Vitae
Teaching
2016-2020 Faculty, Utah State University, Logan UT
2013-2020 Faculty, Dixie State University, St. George UT
2015 Oil Portrait Workshop, St George UT
2014 Watercolor Workshop, St George UT
2014 Oil Painting Workshop, St. George UT
2012 Portrait Workshop, Sacramento CA
Education
2013 MFA, Painting and Drawing, Academy of Art University, San Francisco CA
2010 BFA, Illustration, summa cum laude, Studio Arts, Southern Utah University, Cedar City UT
Exhibitions
2017-2020 Representation, J Arts Gallery, Wasilla AK
2019 Group Exhibition, G2 Fine Art Gallery, Galatin MO
2019 Group Exhibition, “Faculty Show,” Tippetts Gallery, Logan UT
2019 Solo Exhibition, “Transience,” J Arts Gallery, Wasilla AK
2017 Group Exhibition, “Concatenation,” Tippetts Gallery, Logan UT
2017 Group Exhibition, “Fall Salon,” Logan Fine Arts Gallery, Logan UT
2017 Solo Exhibition, “Spoils,” Olive Esplin Gallery, St George UT
2016 Group Exhibition, “Faculty Show 2016,” Utah State University, Logan UT
2016 Group Exhibition, “Faculty Showcase,” Dixie State University, St George UT
2016 Group Exhibition, “Go Out and Play,” Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2016 Group Exhibition, Honorable Mention, “Sears Invitational,” Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2015 Group Exhibition, “Faculty Showcase,” Dixie State University, St George UT
2015 Solo Exhibition, “Every Person has a Story,” Olive Esplin Gallery, St George UT
2015 Group Exhibition, “Art Department Showcase,” Dixie State University, St George UT
2015 Group Exhibition, “One x One,” Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2015 Solo Exhibition, “Life Refracted,” Eccles Grand Hall Gallery, St George UT
2015 Solo Exhibition, “Art in Harmony,” The DiFiore Center for Arts and Education, St George UT
2015 Group Exhibition, Honorable Mention, “Sears Invitational,” Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2014 Solo Exhibition, “Spectral Nocturne,” The DiFiore Center for Arts and Education, St George UT
2014 Group Exhibition, “Faculty Showcase,” Dixie State University, St George UT
2014 Group Exhibition, “Southern Utah Art Guild,” Red Cliff Gallery, St George UT
2014 Group Raisonne, “Williams Prize in Drawing: Exhibiting Artist,” Simsbury CT
2014 Group Exhibition, “Recent Acquisitions,” Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2014 Group Exhibition, “Art Department Showcase,” Dixie State University, St. George UT
2014 International Group Exhibition, “Artful Orchestra,” Gateway Academy, Cedar City UT
2013 Group Exhibition, “Spiritual and Religious,” Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT
2013 International Group Exhibition, Norbertellen Gallery, Los Angeles CA
2012 Group exhibition, “Spiritual and Religious,” Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT
2011 Solo Exhibition, “Wind and Water,” National Forest Service, Bryce Canyon UT
2011 Group Exhibition Award of Merit, “Everett Ruess Days Plein Air Festival,” Escalante UT
2010-2011 Group Exhibition, “Apple Frame Gallery Representation,” Bountiful UT
2010 Group Exhibition, “Zion National Park Art Invitational,” Springdale UT
2010 Group Exhibition, “Invitational Figure Drawing,” Cedar City UT
2010 Group Exhibition, “Rogue Gallery,” Cedar City UT
2010 Group Exhibition Award of Merit, “Everett Ruess Plein Air Festival,” Escalante UT
2009 Group Exhibition, “Parowan Gap: God’s Own House,” Cedar City UT
2009 Group Exhibition, “Everett Ruess Days Plein Air Festival,” Escalante UT
2008 Group Exhibition, “The Southern Utah Plein Air Society,” Cedar City UT
2008 Group Exhibition, “Everett Ruess Days Plein Air Festival,” Escalante UT
2008 Group Exhibition, “Zions: A Creative Response,” St Geroge, Zion National Park, Salt Lake City UT
2006 Group Exhibition Jury’s Choice Award, “Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery,” Cedar City UT
Collections
2016 Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Village CA
2014 Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Village CA
2014 Sears Museum Gallery, St George UT
2014 The DiFiore Center, St George UT
2013 Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon, UT
2012-2014 Equality Utah, St George UT
2012 Public Murals, Yuma AZ
2010 Public Murals, Hurricane UT
Bibliography
2018 Exploring Art, Top Hat Publishing
2017 Huffington Post, “The Male Muse”
2017 Poets and Artists Magazine, February Issue
2015 St George Magazine, “40 Under 40”
2014 Art 1010: Introduction to Art, Dixie State University
2012 Strokes of Genius 4: Exploring Line, North Light Books
2010 Southwest Artist’s Magazine, “In The Footsteps of Thomas Moran”
2008-2009 Kolob Canyon Review
Lectures
2015 “Life Refracted,” World Peace Gardens, St George UT
2015 “Building Community Through Arts,” The Business of Art, Kanab UT
2014 “Plein Air: A Living Tradition,” The Business of Art, Kanab UT
2014 “Art Marketing,” The DiFiore Center for Arts and Education, St George UT
2010 “Distinguished Graduate,” Southern Utah University, Cedar City UT
2010 “Plein Air Painting,” Southern Utah University, Cedar City UT
Professional Affiliations
2014-2020 The Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Change Leader
2014-2017 Utah Mural Arts Foundation, Director
2014-2016 Washington County Art Council, Board
2014-2015 Southern Utah Art Guild, Board
2007-2010 The Southern Utah Plein Air Society, President