ANTAGONY Painting

ROBERT STEVEN CONNETT Born in 1951 in San Francisco, California, Robert Steven Connett began drawing and painting at the age of 27. He continued to create artwork as a hobby for 20 years during which time he owned and operated an insurance brokerage firm in San Francisco. He sold the firm in 1998 at age 47 after his home and art collection was destroyed by a fire. Connett moved to Los Angeles in 2003 where he began his full time art career at the age of 52. There is something nightmarish about Robert Steven Connett's paintings. Intricately detailed and richly colorful, their futuristic undertones depict disturbing dreamlike scenarios that would surely haunt people's sleeps for nights on end. Based in California, Robert Steven Connett's portfolio is definitely rife with frightening yet imaginative visions of the world in general and humanity in particular. Inspired by everything from drug addiction and insanity, he also is drawn to images that pit nature against man. Stepping away from cliche psychedelia, Robert Steven Connett's paintings truly make you question the reality of things. More than that, however, their detail engages you to the point that you will probably find yourself sitting in front of each piece for minutes at a time. Just make sure you enjoy them more than anything else. (by Trend Hunter: ) There are artists out there who eschew traditional approaches to drawing but are nonetheless obsessed with detail as a way express what are often frightening visions of the world in general and humanity in particular. H. R. Giger and Chris Mars spring to mind. Their roots lie in the dreamlike visions of Heironymous Bosch. It is a difficult artistic path. Most who try it fail to develop a unique vision or compelling style and get mired in cliché psychedelia. This kind of work is often driven by direct experiences with drug addiction, insanity or both, which can explain the rarity of finding such artists who also have the discipline to excel. R. S. Connett has become one of those exceptions. ~ David Carmack Lewis