Robert Shirk

My contemporary portraits are conceptually very similar to the Pointillist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

Here is a short 1 minute video showing the 3D aspects of my Neo-Pointillist paintings. The painting is done with acrylic paint on 2 sheets of 24"x32" on top of 2 sheets of 36"x48" plexiglass.

#pointillism #neopointillism #acrylicpainting #fineart #contemporaryart #portrait #impressionistpainting #perceptualart #contemporarypainting #avantegarde #figurativeart #VoltoMusica

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

This bug report is for @Supportand @grok
Bug Report: Text cutoff on long Grok threads (iOS only)Long conversation threads (especially ones with detailed medical notes, lab tables, and multiple messages) display with text cut off on both the left and right sides on iPhone and iPad. The content is truncated and difficult to read.
Other shorter threads in the same app display normally.
The identical long thread displays correctly on desktop (iMac).
Issue started recently and continues after deleting and reinstalling the X/Grok app.
Force-closing the app, restarting the device, changing orientation, and adjusting text size did not resolve it.
This appears to be a mobile layout/rendering problem that only affects very long or content-heavy threads.

Thank you.

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

@DarylDike Hello from Orlando. You made me cry with joy today Daryl. You are such an inspiration. Never give up.

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

10/10: My artistic journey is not done as I'm now also incorporating some of the #PopArt and #OpArt techniques of the 1960's. You can see my examples of my "3D Kinetic #NeoPointillism" paintings here:
https://t.co/8iNWrXTHTs

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

4/10: The dots if spaced correctly only take up maybe 40% to 60% of an images surface area at most. This lets the viewer look through each layer to see the layer below it. #ArtistOnTwitter

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

9/10: One layer being cooler or warmer then the next. I also now shift the color saturation as well. This creates a very complex color palette that changes as the viewer moves closer or further away from the painting. #Art #3DArt #ColorTheory

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

3/10: Why dots? Because I am creating three 3D paintings on many layers of clear acrylic sheets. I need a technique to be able to see through one layer to the next layer, and to the next. True 3D! #3DArt #NeoPointillism

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

2/10: Pointillist painters were interested in using small brushstrokes to visually mix colors. They used the brushstrokes of different colors to simulate blended colors. If two colors are placed next to each other, they look like a third color. #Pointillism #ArtHistory

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

1/10: In 2017, I swore my art wasn’t Pointillism. By 2020, I’d eaten my words—dots became my world. Here’s my journey to 3D Kinetic Pointillism. #Art #Pointillism

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

I finished this painting "One Race" back in Nov 2024. It's painted on three 24"x32"sheets, and one sheet of 18"x24" plexiglass.

Let's Come Together
Black, White, Yellow, Red, Brown. We are all the same inside. Human desires, while they might show themselves differently across various cultures, are fundamentally human, and resonate universally. These desires highlight our shared humanity despite our diverse racial backgrounds.

"RACE", that shiny object often placed before our eyes obscures all that we have in common.

Here are just some of the things we all have in common. I'm sure you can think of more.

The desire to love and be loved, to form deep connections with family, friends, and partners, is a universal human need.

All humans seek a sense of safety from physical harm, economic stability, and security in their environment.
The desire to be recognized for one's achievements, to be respected, and to have one's dignity acknowledged seems to be fundamental across all cultures and races.

The pursuit of personal growth, the realization of one's potential, and finding meaning in life are desires that cut across racial lines.

The longing for personal freedom, the ability to make choices about one's life, self-determination, and autonomy are universally sought after as far as I know.

Good health, both physical and mental, is a universal goal.

The pursuit of happiness, joy, and moments of pleasure in life.

The desire to learn, gain knowledge, and understand the world around us is a universal human trait.

A deep-seated desire for justice, fairness, and equality in treatment is something many strive for, regardless of race.

Many people across different races wish to leave a legacy, whether through their children, their work, or contributions to society.

Let's peel away that shiny object called "RACE" and rejoice in our shared humanity.

#neopointillism #acrylicpainting #fineart #contemporaryart #impressionistpainting #pointillism #perceptualart #contemporarypainting #avantegarde #figurativeart #OneRace

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

Best in Show - 01/19/25

My painting "One Race" won Best in Show Sunday at the Art League of Daytona Beach Annual Members Exhibition. I'm speechless. And for those who know me, you know that doesn't happen often. Over 120 pieces of art were entered.

One of the things that make this so special for me is that the award is given in memory of Patrick Flannery. Patrick was a warm and wonderful man and artist. I can't help but think Patrick might have tipped the scales just a little for me from above those rain clouds that were hovering above us on Sunday.

Best in Show awards don't come often for artists. When they do it's almost always a surprise. For those who aren't familiar with how these awards are given out this is the process most of the time:

The judge or presenter names each artist who won an award from "Judge's Choice" all the way up to "Best in Show". There can be up to 10 categories with a number of winners for each category. In this show there were 30 or so winners. So as each winner is named you are thinking "Ok I didn't win a Merit award, maybe I'll get the Recognition award. Nope, didn't get the Recognition award, maybe I'll get the better Achievement award." And so it goes. You get a little more excited at the possibility of getting a better award when each award winners name gets called out. And then you start realizing that there only a few awards left and you might not get an award at all. That is what happened to me in my last show, nothing. Which is fine, it happens all the time to every artist. So anticipation turns to apprehension real fast! So when that last name gets called, and it's yours, well your speechless.

Congratulations to all the other winners. First place and second place went to the husband and wife team Weldon Ryan & Richlin Ryan. They are a tough pair to beat. Thank you Judge Karlene McConnell for your great eye.

Here is what Judge Karlene McConnell had to say about my Best in Show painting. "The artist shows a strong connection to his viewers through imagery that relates to social issues. The 3 dimensionality of the work and the materials used give it strength. The piece is professionally executed. There is strong knowledge and use of values and color." - Judge Karlene McConnell

#pointillism #neopointillism #acrylicpainting #fineart #contemporaryart #portrait #impressionistpainting #perceptualart #contemporarypainting #avantegarde #figurativeart #OneRace

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

The Story Of This Painting. #3

n the 60's and 70's as an Op-Art artist he was focused on color relationships. Here are a few examples of his work of that time.

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

I'm going to start posting some of my recent paintings as well as new paintings as I paint them. Here is my latest painting. I'll tell you all about it in the comments below.
#neopointillism #acrylicpainting #art #artist #fineart #contemporaryart #portrait #impressionistpainting #pointillism #perceptualart #contemporarypainting #figurativeart #JamesJohnstonShirk

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

The Story Of This Painting. #2

The image of Jim I used for this portrait is from when he was either in college or just out of college. At that time he was the illustrator for the Princeton Tiger magazine. That magazine is the second oldest college humor magazine in the United States, published by Princeton University undergraduates since 1882.

[Robert Shirk @robertshirk]

@dbongino Happy Birthday young man.