Copyright © 2003-2024 by Bob Bickers.  All rights reserved.

Bob Bickers (Robert V. Bickers, Jr.) has been creating art professionally for over 40 years. With a background in photography and working in acrylics and oils, most of Bob’s work is a balance between realism and expressionism that can resonate with almost any viewer. Preferring oil or alkyd on canvas, and sometimes digital photography, Bob’s art includes rural and urban scenes of Western Pennsylvania as well as images from his varied travels across other regions of America. Besides landscapes and portraits, his other paintings are as varied as his many interests, including ancient American Indian artifacts and pottery as still lives, aircraft, astronomy and paintings of manned and unmanned spacecraft.

In the 1980’s Bob started to exhibit his works at local galleries in Memphis, and won numerous awards for his artwork at local and regional art contests, including the Coalition for Visual Arts and for many years at the Memphis and Shelby County Mid-South Fair.

Relocating from Tennessee to Murrysville, Pennsylvania, Bob began competing and winning recognition in local art shows. His work has been seen at many public forums including the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley,the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, The Elaine Biondi Gallery Space at the Monroeville Public Library, Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville, the Undercroft Gallery in Shadyside, the Redstone Highlands Retirement Community, the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, the Donohoe Center in Greensburg and the Murrysville Municipal Building. He has been the subject of many articles in local newspapers and magazines including the Tribune Review, The Valley News Dispatch, the Westmoreland County Bar Association’s Sidebar Magazine, In Murrysville and In Monroeville Magazines and his artwork has appeared on the cover of In Murrysville Magazine.  He has been active teaching art and is often asked to judge local art competitions.  Bob was an active member of the East Suburban Artists League (ESAL) (formerly an Exhibition Chair and the group’s former website administrator at ESALart.org) and often exhibited his paintings and photographs in their shows.  Bob was also a member of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists (PSA).

Assisted by his wife, Diane, Bob is relocating to Tucson, Arizona, where he soon expects to be exhibiting in local and regional art shows.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT BOB’s BACKGROUND

Art Education

• Having taken many courses in drawing, design, and the use of an air-brush, Bob then studied portrait painting in oil under Memphis artist, Ted Boyer. He continued the private study of numerous artists and techniques throughout his career.  He has painted in oils since the early 1980’s and has been an experienced photographer since the early 1970’s when he started and ran a business as a professional technical and wedding photographer until the late 1980’s.

Teaching Experience

• Bob held a free acrylic workshop on March 23, 2019 as part of a public arts educational outreach program sponsored by the Monroeville Arts Council at the Monroeville Public Library.  
• Taught a landscape painting in oils or acrylic class at the Greensburg Art Center March 30th, April 6th and April 13th, 2019.  
• Taught a free acrylic workshop on October 15, 2016 as part of a public arts educational outreach program sponsored by the Monroeville Arts Council at the Monroeville Public Library.
• Was a Certified Grumbacher Art Instructor teaching adult art classes on acrylic fine art painting at three different Michael's stores in the Pittsburgh area August - December, 2010. Conducted many live public demonstrations of acrylic painting.
• Was also a William Alexander Oil Painting Instructor for Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts at several of their stores in the Pittsburgh area in 2003 and 2004. Taught numerous classes and performed several in-store live oil painting demonstrations.

Demonstrations

• Has spoken and given art demonstrations at the invitation of various groups in the Pittsburgh / Greensburg area. Was also invited several times to demonstrate oil painting to Elementary School classes in the Franklin Regional School system and to judge several student art competitions.

Judging Art

• Served as the judge for the NORWIN ART LEAGUE'S Member Exhibition in September, 2019.
• Served as the judge for the 2012 First Annual Art Show by Birthright of Pittsburgh, Inc. in Oakland, June 3, 2012. This show was organized to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of this organization.
• Has served as a juror to review submissions and select artists who would be allowed to exhibit at the ELAINE BIONDI GALLERY SPACE at the Monroeville, Pennsylvania Public Library on four occasions, selecting artists for monthly exhibitions for 2009 through 2021.
• Served as the judge for the 2009 Community Arts and Activities Center(CAAC) Juried Art Exhibition, November 7-29, 2009 in Jeannette, Pennsylvania.
• Served as a judge for the Heritage Elementary School Science and Art Fair (Franklin Regional School District, Murrysville, PA) in 2004 through 2009.
• Served as  the judge for the NORWIN ART LEAGUE'S Member Exhibition at the Monroeville Mall in September, 2008.
• Judged a poster contest in Murrysville for the Lions Club International in 2004.

Associations

• Formerly a member of the PITTSBURGH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS (PSA) (since 2007) and the EAST SUBURBAN ARTISTS LEAGUE (ESAL) (since 1996).  Formerly the Exhibitions Chairman for ESAL and web administrator for http://www.ESALart.org, Bob was their Exhibitions Chair for shows at The Elaine Biondi Gallery Space (located at the Monroeville, PA Public Library).

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