Robert Stuart Cohen taught for more than thirty years at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, and was active as a designer and free-lance artist during that time. He has exhibited his work in this country and abroad, and his work is in private and public collections. A versatile artist and designer, he is seeking public art commissions. He paints in acrylics, and his current work includes “composite” pieces composed of multiple canvases assembled in single compositions, geometric abstract collages, and ”fool-the-eye” representation.

Artist's Statement

Over the years, I have developed a personal vocabulary to discover who I am and what matters to me. First of all, everything is shape, color and line. I am interested in these elements and the abstract relationships that can exist between them. Secondly, there is metaphorical content in the relationships and associations of the objects depicted. The ribbon is pure spirit, free spirit. It is expressive in its color, rhythm and anthropomorphic gesture. The crayon is a colorful, creative figure associated with childhood. It is innocent and naive. Bread is basic. Not only is its shape and texture simple and appealing, it is associated with appetite, primary needs, and ordinary truth. Abstraction is the opposite in that it is intangible, unknown precisely, and mysterious. Brush strokes, handling of the medium, technique‹that is, process itself--can express energy, spontaneity, and establish a context of change and space. Other elements have shape and color to make them appealing and similarly carry symbolic meanings: Picture boxes are theaters of the imagination, as are mats and frames. They are containers at the same time they set limits. Bars, screens, webs and strings are intriguing linear elements. They are links between objects, relating them to each other while simultaneously keeping them apart. Shadows also function in a dual, paradoxical manner: They are links between figure and ground, yet separate objects spatially; brighter light is required to produce darker shadows. Palettes are the artist¹s jumping off place, and chalks, brushes and pencils are some of his tools‹all are symbols of creativity, connoting potential and personal involvement. The bird represents individual independence, perched or free in flight. Cut-outs are a part of and removed from their surroundings at the same time. Finally, the style of illusion making itself, trompe l¹oeil,, asks the viewer to pay attention to the subjects depicted even as it informs the viewer that appearances are deceptive. Fascinated by enigma, full of contradictions, hopelessly optimistic but a fatalist, in love with making things out of nothing, I can¹t help myself. I am comfortable including humor in an art of many levels. I try to create an alternate reality that raises questions and inspires potential. I have lived my life teaching and making my art. What else can I do?

Education:

Pratt Institute, Art School Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree 1961
Teachers College, Columbia University Master of Arts Degree 1962
Doctor of Education Degree 1970

Military Service:

Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Signal Corps
Photo platoon leader; France and Germany, 1962-1964

Professional experience:

Exhibits

Director, National Library of Medicine Bethesda, Maryland (1964-1966)
Museum Curator, American Psychiatric Association Washington, D.C. (1966-67 and 1970-1975)
Freelance artist, designer and photographer; Exhibits and design consultant (1965-1980)
President, Washington, D.C. Area Chapter, Artists Equity Association-- national organization of professional visual artists (1979-1981).
Member, Committee D01.57, Artists Paints and Related Materials-- an international committee organized to develop truth-in-labeling and health standards for artists paints--of the American Society of Testing and Materials (1978-1982).
President, Montgomery College Chapter, American Association of University Professors (1984-1986).
Founding member, Board of Directors, Rockville Arts Place (1986-1996).
Member, Public Art Trust Steering Committee--An advisory body to the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (1997-1999).
Panelist, Arts in the Community Program, Maryland State Arts Council (2000-2).

Teaching experience:

Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland (1965-1967; 1970-2002)
Chairperson of the Art Department (1985-1989)
Jersey City State College, Jersey City, New Jersey (1969-1970)
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (1968-1970)

One-person Shows:

“Trompe l’Oeil and Other Mysteries”, Light Street Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, Dec 2005-Jan 2006

“Degrees of Abstraction”, Goldman Fine Arts Gallery, Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville, Md, October 2005

“Land of Milk and Honey”, Adas Israel Congregation, Washington, DC, Aug-Oct, 2004

“Abundance”, Geometric Abstract Collages, Goldman Fine Arts Gallery, Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD, April 2003

"Retrospective", Art Gallery, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, Jan-Feb 2002

"Composite Paintings" Rockville Arts Place, Rockville, MD, April-May 2000

"New Collages": Art Gallery, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, Jan-Feb 2000

"All Collages", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, December 1998

"Spirit of Renewal", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, November 1996

"New Work", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, April 1995

"Recent Work", Art Gallery, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, Feb-Mar 1993

"New Work", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, May 1993

"New Work", "Open Studio" & "At Home", Rockville, MD, May 1992

"New Collages", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, April 1991

"Trompe l-oeil", Rockville Arts Place, Rockville, MD, February 1991

"New Work", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, November 1990

"Signs and Symbols", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, November 1988

"Figurative Images", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, May 1988

"Inventory", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD,. December 1987

"Landscapes", "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, November 1987

"Investigations" "Open Studio", Rockville, MD, October 1987

"Collages", Art Gallery, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, September 1982

"Recent Collages", Plum Gallery, Kensington, MD, September 1981

"Recent Paintings", The Arts Club of Washington, Washington, D.C., May 1980

"New Paintings", Gallery Arts, Inc., Washington, D.C., December 1977

"Paintings", Art Gallery, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, September 1977

"Paintings", Municipal Art Gallery, Rockville Mansion, Rockville, MD, 1976

Westbroadway Gallery, New York City, NY, 1973, 1974, 1976

Art Gallery, Lock Haven State College, Lock Haven, PA, 1975

American Psychiatric Museum Association, Washington, D.C. 1973

Capricorn Galleries, Bethesda, MD, 1967, 1970

Art Gallery, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, 1968,1969

Two-Person Shows

“Pieces and Pockets of Time”, Ozmosis Gallery, Bethesda, MD., October 2004

George Meany Center for Labor Studies, Silver Spring, MD, 1981