2008 Poster Art by Robert Wright

Robert Wright - Artist Statement and Bio:

“Being a deaf artist situates me in a unique experience. I am a lip reader, and my 90 percent loss of hearing leaves me sensitive to body language and the implications of gesture, since I rely on visual cues. Although I can hear music with the help of my hearing aids, my disability makes me look for meaning in the way people move. I prefer observing and drawing from dancers because they are less inhibited. My inner dance world is important to me. I communicate my deaf self through these marks,” Mr. Wright states.

“The Lancaster Festival is my latest series of paintings that feature abstracted figurative movement. The collage backdrop is composed of many small photos of past Festival events and performers. There are at least two dancers in each of the 14 paintings. They perform a “joy of life” dance across the surface, revealing the events that inspired their movements. I have been working in this figurative abstraction style of art since 1973, 35 years. I can not be certain, but it may likely be the last series I will undertake in abstraction. I feel it is my final great series of figurative abstraction. I don't know what the future holds, but I feel I've said everything I had to say about the figure and how it moves across its environment. I especially like the whiteness and blues in the painting...a pure sense of harmony and clean motion,” he stated.

Robert Wright attended The Ohio State University and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1976. He completed his master’s degree in Art Education from The Ohio State University in 2006. He currently teaches art and graphic design at Amanda-Clearcreek Schools. Learn more about Robert’s work at www.robertwrightart.com.