Artist Statement

Over the past twenty years, Robert has mainly created art from graphite and ink mediums.  His wife, Jill Pankey, inspired him to go beyond his talents and dive into developing art with watercolor on paper and oil paints on canvas.  Pankey uses raw, bright, explosive colors that try to evoke emotion and draw attention to the subjects that he paints.  Pankey states, “everything becomes a representation image with suggestive settings or backgrounds.”  Pankey paints what he loves, such as animals, classic musicians and landscapes. He attempts to translate emotion and feelings into color as well as communicate his individual interpretation of each subject.  As an artist, Pankey is inspired by painters, Andree Hudson, John Nieto and his artistic wife, Jill Pankey.  His paintings are meant to capture a moment in time, with spontaneity, and he tries not to over think and over work the canvas.  As an artist, Pankey is continually trying to learn to express himself in an honest and straightforward manner.Pankey's Biography
Biography
 
Back in 1980, when I was in College, I put myself though school selling pen and ink prints of the local pubs at Texas A&M University.  During graduation ceremonies, the students would walk by my booth and beg their parents to buy one of my prints while kiddingly explaining that they would spend more time at Dudley’s and the Dixie Chicken than they did in classes!  Though my commercial career as an artist began while chasing my college degree, I feel I’ve been creative all of my life.  Carving wood decoys, creating graphic web-site images, playing music and making homemade wine all became a significant part of my creative lifestyle.  In painting, I originally worked with graphite and ink mediums, but began to work in color after years of travel and creating a direction I wanted to develop.  I enjoy painting wildlife because my observation of animals challenges me to explore their essence through color.  In my current oil paintings, I’ve found that everything becomes a passionate response to the canvas.  I use a unique approach in my oil paintings and use bright expressive color and exaggerated brush strokes.  As an artist I am also influenced by painters, Andree Hudson, Jeff Hamm, John Nieto and, Jill Pankey.  My paintings are meant to capture my subjects with spontaneity, exploration and personal expression.  I am often asked how long it takes me to paint one of my paintings, and always answer with the response I’ve learned from my mentor, “All My Life!”

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