The technique Robert uses for all of his work is known as stippling, which is the composition of a work one dot at a time. In Robert’s pen and ink application, there is absolutely no margin for error. The slightest slip of the hand or overflow of ink will ruin an entire work, as no corrections are possible.

Due to the length of time and great accuracy required to complete a work using this method, Robert must be completely and emotionally committed to each piece that he renders. The writing always comes first. The time spent composing a poem is often as long as the time taken to complete one of the drawings. Every word must precisely convey the intensity of the feeling that Robert desires to communicate. Once the poem or prose is completed, he begins the drawing with only a thin pencil outline to establish the balance and proportions of the work. Robert will often work from several black and white photographs of the image he wishes to capture. Finally, using the cherished quill pen given to him by his grandfather, Robert begins the delicate and exhaustive process of applying the ink, one dot at a time.

Robert lives in a small town north of San Francisco for eight months each year; the rest of his time is spent at his home outside Paris. He writes every day, and typically spends four hours drawing, which he does only by natural daylight. He continues to cherish his relationships with his family and friends and to believe in the importance of that place in the heart we all call “home.”