A FLIGHT FANTASTIC?
by M. D. Faber, Ph.D.
Professor of English Language and
Literature
“At first glance, Robert Story’s paintings may
seem like a trip into a flight fantastic, but a deep emotional
truth underlies each piece. Story’s wish is to go beyond
being trapped by his own experience. Sometimes, the risk
pays off: theme is always more than meets the eye, and what
is most provocative in Story’s work is its psychological
content, its “quirkiness.”
 "What Laguna Beach artist Story possesses
by way of sheer technical power, by which I mean the talent
for pure drawing, pure painting, is surpassed only by his
exceptional powers of intuition. Like all outstanding artists,
Story is able to uncover the inner, hidden quality or essence
of his subjects. He allows us to see significant aspects
of our reality and our behavior which we would other wise
miss or ignore. There is no better way to be guided toward
the inner meaning of an object or a situation than to stand
in front of a work by Robert Story. To put it another way,
Story's contemporary drawings and paintings radiate out
into endless ripples of revelation and insight. Needless
to say, Story's wit and irrepressible humor only add to
the overall treat of beholding many of his works. For me,
the thrill of artistic productions has always been the
thrill of feeling my perceptions of the world around me
expanding as I take in the particular item I'm examining;
and this explains why, for me, Story is a genuinely thrilling
master. His style is unique, his very own; his revelations
and insights, his personal
take on the rapidly changing and often disconcerting world
in which we exist, belong to us all. More, Mr. Story, more!
Story’s painting aesthetic draws its energy from the
Bay Area Figurative Movement, a major influence being San
Francisco painter Wally Hedrick, called an “idea artist” long
before the label “conceptual art” entered the
art world. Story is an experimentalist: there is often
an element of danger and innocence in his paintings. In “Free
and Easy,” indistinct figures fly through and beyond
an ambivalent landscape. His are engaging paintings,
with darkly humorous visual/conceptual juxtapositions that
move the viewer.
The sources of Story’s inspiration come from his experience
of the chaotic condition of the world - media-driven, out-of-control.
Oil paint's rich versatility enables him to express his vision
on canvas.
The artist was born in Pasadena and raised in Laguna Beach,
where he lives and maintains a studio. During a long and
productive professional career, he was involved in motion
picture and television production in Hollywood and San Francisco.
Mr. Story's work has appeared in numerous exhibitions and
is represented in dozens of private collections including
The White House, Washington, DC. |
