Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Roth.
Hi Robert, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in the seaside town of Cold Spring Harbor, NY, where the inlets and harbors of the Long Island Sound have always been part of my world. The ocean—with its vast horizons and ever-changing atmosphere—has been my playground for as long as I can remember. I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil, and I suppose I never really stopped. I began painting around the age of 14, inspired by the towering stacks of National Geographic magazines that my amazing high school art teacher, Ms. Schmidt, kept in her classroom. Those vivid photographs from around the globe fueled my early imagination and became the starting point for my paintings. When I was 16, while still in high school, I began studying drawing at Parsons School of Design, spending summers and evenings under the brilliant Dave Passalacqua Jr. He opened my eyes to the power of linework, form, abstraction, and invention—introducing me to the works of Henry Moore, Picasso, Rico LeBrun, and Modigliani. From there, I went on to study at the Rhode Island School of Design under the tutelage of American painter Thomas Sgouros. He had a profound influence on my approach to painting from life, keeping a daily sketchbook, encouraging plein air landscape studies, and fostering an immersive relationship with watercolor.
After graduating, I began exhibiting my watercolors in New York City, including shows at the Bologna Landi Gallery in East Hampton. That led to some exciting commissions—projects for the Grammy Awards, RCA Records, The Ritz-Carlton, and The New York Times, eventually leading me to Cleveland in 2002. There, I worked closely with American Greetings, creating paintings and directing their Media Studio—an innovative program that hosted creative guest lectures and workshops focused on experimental mixed-media techniques. I later had the privilege of teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art—a truly enriching chapter in my creative journey. In 2010, I began to reignite my lifelong passion for the landscape through an experimental large-scale series, Sky, Land, and Sea. I’m somewhat obsessed with skies—particularly stormy ones—so I started there, focusing on the relationship between atmosphere and light, an exploration that has continued to evolve over the past 15 years. Feeling creatively reenergized, my work has, in many ways, brought me full circle—back to the shores of the Island where it all began for me. I currently reside in an 1850s farmhouse in Hudson, where I paint in my barn studio, just steps from my home. My wife, artist Cheryl Roth (a talented RISD grad), and I travel to the island of Martha’s Vineyard each summer to recharge and soak up the salty air.
Currently, my paintings are represented by Dimmitt Contemporary Art in Houston and Austin, TX. They have been a wonderful gallery to work with.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Obstacles/Challenges:
One of the biggest challenges I faced was trying to juggle too many roles at once. At a certain point in my career, I realized that spreading myself too thin was causing me to lose focus and direction. I had to make a tough decision: was I going to commit to being a full time professor, or fully embrace the path of a painter? Ultimately, I chose to follow my passion for painting and stepped away from teaching. It wasn’t easy—listening to that quiet inner voice, and taking action can be incredibly difficult, especially when it means walking away from something so rewarding. But in the end, I knew I had to follow my heart.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
That’s a tough one, I may have answered most this already, perhaps I will just share my bio from the gallery, it’s a more comprehendsive on my work and career –
ROBERT ROTH
American
b. 1965, NY
I am interested in going beyond our physical surroundings, seeking to capture that inherent emotion of vastness and inner peace. – RR
Robert Roth’s large-scale paintings embody a synthesis of early Romanticism and the dynamic energy of Abstract Expressionism, inviting viewers to engage with the interplay of light and emotion. His fluid gestural brushstrokes, strike a balance between reality and abstraction. Each piece serves as a conduit for evoking tranquility and introspection, challenging the observer to contemplate the deeper atmospheric connections within the work. The dynamic movement present in Roth’s paintings mirrors the rhythms of nature, with dramatic cloud formations and expansive horizons that creates a dialogue of emotions, ranging from drama to serenity, calm, and bliss. Roth also explores the classical themes of still-life and structure. His eclectic approach echoes a flattened Cubist perspective, layering paint, mark-making, oil-stick, and collage, which encapsulates a rich cultural expression. As a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Roth studied classical painting, from early Renaissance, Neoclassicism to Modernism. During his time at RISD, he developed a celebrated practice of drawing, which he continues today. Roth’s work is held in both public and private collections, with notable patrons including musician Taylor Swift, The Grammy Awards, Columbia University, The Ritz Carlton, and The New Yorker. His paintings have been exhibited in New York City, East Hampton, Washington DC, Houston, Santa Fe, Charlotte, and San Francisco. In 2014, Roth’s work was selected for NYC’s “American Collage Exhibition,” showcased alongside masters, Edward Hopper and Richard Diebenkorn. He has received Honors from The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Heckscher Museum of Art, and The National Endowment for the Arts. Roth’s international reach extends to collections in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Russia, and South Korea.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I have learned a few over the years, here’s a few… I tried to keep it short 😉
If there’s one life lesson I keep coming back to, it’s this: stay true to yourself and always keep growing.
Trust your intuition, (that whisper inside) it’s usually always right.
Be genuine—never compromise your values just to fit in. Real joy doesn’t come from external success or validation; it lives quietly within us.
Stay curious. Keep learning, exploring, evolving. Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone, so challenge yourself—but do it with kindness and grace.
Don’t compare your path to others. Focus on becoming the best version of you.
Be humble. Be kind, help others when you can. And above all, be grateful—for the little things, the big things, and everything in between.
Whether your dreams are massive or modest, go for them—one step at a time—and keep showing up with heart.
Because in the end, life is short—and how you live it is what truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://robertrothgallery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertrothpaintings/
