Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Embrace, Bioluminescence II, and 2nd Place


Here are a couple of paintings from earlier this year that I never got around to posting online. First, we have the moon in the Earth's gravitational embrace (still available at Abend Gallery). Next, the second painting in the Bioluminescence series. The third painting here is Reaching Europa, which I have posted before, but I have just learned that it has received 2nd Place in the Oil Painters of America Fall Online Showcase!

Embrace by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Embrace, Oil, 20 x 24 inches

Bioluminescence II by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Bioluminescence II, Oil, 14 x 18 inches

Reaching Europa by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Reaching Europa, Oil, 18 x 24 inches


Friday, October 16, 2015

Waiting to be Known


A companion piece to my previous painting, Reaching Europa (bottom), the focus of this new painting is the spirit of discovery, depicting Saturn, the Cassini space probe, and an allegorical figure of scientific truths yet undiscovered.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
- Carl Sagan

In less than a week I'll be exhibiting at the incredible show of imaginative realism, IlluXCon, in Allentown, PA (Oct 21-25)! This painting will be there and I would highly recommend checking it out along with all the other amazing work in the show.

Waiting to be Known by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Waiting to be Known, Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Reaching Europa by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Reaching Europa, Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Friday, October 9, 2015

OPA Eastern


This new painting from an earlier study has been accepted to the Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition for this year! The show takes place at Eckert & Ross Fine Art in Indianapolis, from November 6 - December 5.

With the Flow by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
With the Flow, Oil, 18 x 24 inches


Sunday, September 20, 2015

Autumnal Equinox : Last Light


This new study goes up on Every Day Original tomorrow morning at 10am EDT.

If you've ever gone camping in a secluded place and walked away from the safe and warm glow of the fire, you've probably experienced a flash of fear for what could be out in the darkness with you, unseen. It's a very common and natural emotion for us having evolved ever watchful of predators. Though this fear may still strike in the darkness of one's own home, thanks to electricity, we live mostly free from this psychological marauder. Before electricity, when the sun went down, candles and campfires would have been our only feeble weapons against these fears, leaving us nothing to do but wait through the long darkness until the sun rose again to save us for another day. So in addition to the harvest symbols of our agricultural ancestors, the autumnal equinox represents the the last waning light before the long and psychologically safe days turned into the long and fearful nights of winter. From this perspective, it's easy to see why the sun and it's light plays such a strong role in the myths of so many cultures.

Autumnal Equinox : Last Light by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Visionarium


This is my painting for the Society Of IllustratorsVisionarium show in NYC. Like the Microvisions show of the past, Visionarium features work donated for auction to benefit scholarships for illustration students. The auction will go live on September 28th and end on Oct 10th. To see the rest of the work in the show by award winning illustrators and find more information on how you can place your bid, check out this link.

In Knots, Oil Study by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
In Knots, Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches

In Knots, Oil Study by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Framed
On the wall at the Society of Illustrators, NYC.
Logo by Lauren Panepinto

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Double Back and an Interview


This new mermaid study goes live on Every Day Original tomorrow morning at 10 am EDT! They keep selling in the first couple hours, so if you're interested don't think about it too long.

While you're there, I've been interviewed and the and the conversation is up on the EDO website for you to read! I talk about my painting process, interests and more.


Double Back by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 6 x 8 inches



Monday, July 20, 2015

Loss (at Sea)



Another mermaid study goes up for sale on Every Day Original at 10 am eastern time (7/21). If you're interested, be ready, most of them have sold in the first hour.

Loss (at Sea) by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 7 x 7 inches


Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Heliosphere


Here is the larger, finished version of the study I posted not too long ago. It's one more piece for the "Introductions" show at Abend Gallery opening this Friday, July 10th.

The heliosphere is the region of space that surrounds our solar system, where the solar wind (plasma) from our sun radiates outward and the magnetic field of the sun dominates space. This area ends well beyond Pluto. There, it meets the interstellar medium and it's boundary protects our solar system from most of the galactic cosmic rays coming from interstellar space.

Heliosphere by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Heliosphere (Detail) by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Detail

Monday, July 6, 2015

Stardust Gazing Back


Another piece for the "Introductions" show at Abend Gallery opening this Friday, July 10th. This piece is also inspired by the poetic fact that many of the atoms that make up our bodies and the world around us have not always existed. They were fused in the cores of old stars that have since exploded and enriched the the material that formed new stars and planets including Earth and everything on it. We are made of starstuff, as Carl Sagan so eloquently expressed in his Cosmos series and Neil deGrasse Tyson in this video.

Oil, 16 x 16 inches

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Setting Up


A new full size version from an earlier study, this piece will be in a show at Abend Gallery opening July 10th. The show, titled "Introductions" is a group exhibit of new featured artists at the gallery. I'll be in attendance at the opening in Denver on July 10th for real in-person introductions, so if you're in the area come say hi. Until then, stay tuned for more work to be included in the show.


Setting Up by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 20 x 24 inches


Saturday, June 20, 2015

Heliosphere (study)


This new study for a larger piece that's currently on my easel goes up for sale on ‪‎Everyday Original‬ tomorrow morning at 10am EDT.

The heliosphere is the region of space that surrounds our solar system, where the solar wind (plasma) from our sun radiates outward and the magnetic field of the sun dominates space. This area ends well beyond Pluto, where it meets the interstellar medium and it's boundary protects our solar system from most of the galactic cosmic rays coming from outside of it. More about the heliosphere.

Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches



Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Observation II


This new piece is the full size version of smaller study I posted several months ago. It's going to be part of a group exhibition at Abend Gallery in Denver titled Contemporary Figuration. The show opens this Friday, June 12th and runs until July 3rd. More information here.

Observation II by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 20 x 24 inches


Friday, May 29, 2015

Reaching Europa


Somehow, I forgot to post this painting here when it was completed and when it was accepted to the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition for this year. The exhibition has just ended, but better late than never.

This painting is about our scientific aspirations to explore Jupiter's moon, Europa. As this video from NASA explains, Europa holds intriguing possibilities for finding life beyond Earth.

Reaching Europa by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 18 x 24 inches
In recent news, I just found out that Bioluminescence has received an Honorable Mention in the Oil Painters of America Spring Online Showcase! See all the award winners here.

Bioluminescence by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Bioluminescence


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

With the Flow


This new small mermaid painting goes up for sale on Every Day Original tomorrow morning at 10 am eastern time. If you're interested, be ready, most of them have sold in the first hour. http://www.everydayoriginal.com/

With the Flow by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 6 x 8 inches

With the Flow (Detail) by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Detail
I'm also very pleased to have three paintings accepted as finalists to the Art Renewal Center 2014-2015 Salon. Go see all of the great work in this year's show here!

Observation by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.comWe Are Made of Stars by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.comShadowy Deep by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com


Tuesday, April 21, 2015

In the Kelp


The next small painting in my series of mermaids will be posted for sale on Every Day Orginal at 10:00 am EST this morning! 

In the Kelp by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil, 6 x 8 inches


Friday, March 20, 2015

Vernal Equinox : Spring Planting


Happy Equinox! My next small painting goes live for sale on Every Day Original tomorrow morning (3/21) at 10am EST. If you're interested, be ready, the last four have sold within the first hour. http://www.everydayoriginal.com/

For me, the spring equinox is a time to reflect on human history and life before science brought us the relatively luxurious lives we lead today. It's also a time to celebrate the human ingenuity that developed science and our current relative abundance!

Before clocks were common and printed calendars were purchased every December at Barnes & Noble, the sun, moon and stars were the time keepers we lived our lives by. Today we only associate the zodiac with the mysticism and magical thinking that it was undoubtedly part of, but we forget that for thousands of years the sun and his twelve zodiacal constellations also served a very practical purpose as the annual twelve month calendar. From the neolithic agricultural revolution about 12,000 years ago until the industrial revolution of the 1800s, when almost everyone's occupation was farming, these celestial bodies were vital indicators of the seasons and when to plant the crops that sustained our lives. Poor timing in planting could have dire consequence, so the skies were watched with great care and imbued with great meaning. Our ancestors may have taken the equinox as a time to reflect on the sacrifice made by the sun as it gave it's light to grow their sustenance.

The subtle ornamental design in the sky of this painting is intended to symbolize the daily and annual path of the sun.

Vernal Equinox : Spring Planting, Study by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Oil Color Study, 6 x 8 inches

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Bioluminescence


This new still life will be part of a group show titled, Modern (Still) Life, at Abend Gallery in Denver, CO. The show opens Friday, March 20, 6-9 pm. I'm a little behind in posting news, but I should also say that I am now officially a regular featured artist at Abend Gallery!

Bioluminescence by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Bioluminescence, Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Bioluminescence (Detail) by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Detail


Friday, February 20, 2015

Gazing Into the Deep


The next small painting in my series of contemplative mermaids will be posted for sale on Every Day Orginal at 10:00 am EST tomorrow morning (Feb 21st)! This one ponders the dark of a deep ocean trench. If you want it, be ready, my last three paintings posted to EDO have sold in under 20 minutes.

Gazing Into the Deep by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Gazing Into the Deep, 7 x 7 inches, Oil on Board



Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Shadowy Deep III Color Study


My next small painting goes live for sale on Every Day Original today. Move fast, my last two paintings each sold in less than ten minutes! I'm continuing the mermaid series here. This one lounging in the shade of a reef, awoken by the meanderings of a star fish. This may become a larger painting at some point, so I'm calling this a color study.

Shadowy Deep III Color Study by Rob Rey - robreyfineart.com
Shadowy Deep III (color study), Oil, 6 x 8 inches