Robert Deyber

The School of Hard Knocks

2007

Robert Deyber was an American artist who drew inspiration directly from language – particularly from common puns, euphemisms and turns of phrase. His artwork ranges from literal translations of these sayings to kitschy depictions; all of which never cease to charm his viewers. In addition to his sense of humor, Deyber’s art also spoke to something else – the health of the American psyche and the resilience of the American spirit. He credited master surrealists René Magritte and Salvador Dali as muses and also identified with the nineteenth-century Hudson River School painters Thomas Cole and Frederick Church. Evidence of the latter’s influence can be seen in his depictions of unsettled skies which serve as the backdrop for many of his anecdotal scenarios. Described by The San Francisco Examiner in 2009 as a “pop surrealist,” Deyber was known as a 'visual raconteur' - a storyteller with a paintbrush - his mind's eye planted deep within the subconscious. While many of Deyber's paintings contain elements derived from the unpredictable imagery found in the subconscious, other imagery had more in common with the worlds of alternate natural history imagined by Alexis Rock or Walton Ford, while the visual rendition of pop culture phraseology played off Pop Art traditions. However, the undecided tone between sincerity and irony may be what makes Robert Deyber’s artwork distinctly contemporary, and his visual vocabulary uniquely his own. Deyber’s worldwide admirers transcend traditional boundaries, including private and corporate collectors throughout the United States as well as throughout Europe and Asia. In particular, the entertainment industry has strongly supported his vision - including independent film producers, well-known screenwriters, and designers. Tom Petty was an early collector of Deyber’s artwork and commissioned the artist to create the cover imagery for Petty’s last solo album in 2006 - Highway Companion.