Robert’s More Than Just An Artist. Find Out What’s Going On Away From The Easel!

Aquick look at the past.

Meet Robert Joyner, the author of this blog and creator of the original paintings you see posted on this site. I was born in Hampton, Virginia on July 6th, 1968. I’m one of three children and proud son to my supportive parents Suzanne and Billy Joyner. Robert’s childhood was typical of any boy growing up in the pre-nintendo era. His days were filled with collecting baseball cards, jumping ramps on his rusted-out huffy and playing sandlot football with his older brother. ‘The things I love more than art are being a father, a fiancé, a son and a brother. I adore my family.’After graduating high school, Robert was engaged in several entrepreneurial ventures, commercial fishing and ballroom dancing. Yes, imagine practicing the “cha-cha” on the deck of a 100 foot scallop boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean; talk about the good ole’ days. Robert moved to South Walton, Florida in 1996 and helped start a bicycle shop until 2001 when, feeling tired and stressed-out, decided to take a break and reflect on his life. Robert naturally began sketching to fill the idle time and his thirty-minute sessions quickly turned into all day art bonanzas.

Aquick look in the middle.

After spending many years away from home I decided to get closer to my parents and back to my roots. I  returned to Virginia in 2005 and immediately rediscovered ballroom dancing. While dancing and teaching dance I happen to hear an advertisement over the radio about the D’art Center. It was a working studio and I certainly missed my painting.  After scribbling the address down I later visited  the D’art Center and immediately envisioned having a studio and painting again. The center provided artists with working studios once they’re juried in by the selection panel. The center accepted my work and I was in. The experience was invaluable and really solidified my yearning to be a full time artist. However, the center moved due to the city wanting to demolish the building and erect condos so I decided to work out of my home studio. As well as being a full time artist I still teach ballroom dancing at Doug High Dance Studio in Newport News part-time.

Aquick look at what’s new.

I met the love of my life through ballroom dancing in 2006. Let me introduce Margaret Calvert. She is originally from Richmond, Virginia and the daughter of  Betty and John Calvert. We have since been engaged and are the proud parents of Olivia Marie Joyner born April 21, 2010. She is certainly a bundle of joy and we are both thrilled to have her in our lives. We now live in Suffolk, Virginia and enjoy gardening, cooking, working out, relaxing and filling our days with Olivia.

Something you didn’t know about me.

• My first job was a dishwasher at Vancostas Pizza. It was a pretty dirty job but I always got all the free pizza one could eat in four hours. I think that was the only ‘perk’ but at least I was out making my own dough.
• My favorite basketball team is the LA Lakers. Although I don’t watch a lot of basketball during the regular season, I’m always tuned in when the playoffs start, especially if the Lakers are playing. Kobe, Kobe, Kobe…..
• My favorite outfit is loose-fitting denim jeans and a plain white Haynes t-shirt. I love the timeless simplicity of the combo and it works for just about any occasion unless it’s formal.
• I love football. American football that is. I always look forward to Sundays on the couch relaxing with a bag of chips and the remote. My favorite team is the St. Louis Rams even though they stink.
• I’m an early bird and enjoy doing my art in the morning and afternoon. Usually by 2 PM my creative side shuts down. I can’t remember the last time I painted at night.
• My first car was a hand me down Toyota Corolla. When I was sixteen I would sit in the car with my friends and we would pretend to be cruising the beach. I also recall installing a new stereo with speakers in every corner assuring  hearing loss by the time I turn eighteen.
• I love cheap cookies. Especially the generic oatmeal cookies with the icing on top. Bloom brand is my favorite at a whopping 99 cents a bag. I can crush a bag of those in one session. And please, don’t try to slip a designer cookie in there because I will quickly recognize it and return them to the pantry.