Robert “Rosey” Rosenthal is nationally known for his mythic-fantasy art and his unique figurative relief prints. His mythic-fantasy etchings combine his love of history, his drawing skills and his enjoyment of myths and fantasy.
A recognized innovator and teacher of traditional intaglio and relief printmaking techniques he has lectured regularly for the Cal Poly Art Department, most of the San Luis Obispo County art organizations and Cuesta College Community Programs.
He has won awards from the California Mid-State Fair, Santa Barbara Printmakers, Décor Magazine, SLO Art Center and both Northern and Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faires.
In Granada, Spain, while Artist-in-Residence at the Fundación Rodriguez-Acosta, he reestablished their etching atelier and collaborated with many of the best printmakers of Southern Spain.
Locally he is a past director of the San Luis Obispo Art Center now the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, a co-founder and past president of the Central Coast Printmakers, an association that has been the focal point for printmakers of the Central Coast since 1981. For over 4 years he was the outspoken, guiding force of the large, diverse artists’ cooperative, The San Luis Artists’ Gallery, affectionately known as SLAG.
His artistic skills were developed at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, and by 8 years as a Madison Avenue advertising art director, but it took the open, creative “follow your bliss” atmosphere of California to set him free to explore and nurture his own artistic visions.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Steynberg Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA. August 2004. Solo exhibition of lino-cuts and small paintings.
S.L.A. Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA. Solo exhibit etchings, December 2002.
Goosepond Gallery, Morgan Hill, CA. November 1997. Featured artist.
The Muse Gallery, Fresno, CA. 1987. Solo exhibit etchings.
Options Gallery, Arroyo Grande, CA. 1985. One man show. Original etchings from The Perfumed Garden, published by Tabula Rasa Press.
Options Gallery, Shell Beach, CA. 1984 and 1986 Solo exhibitions of Mythic- Fantasy etchings.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Santa Barbara Printmakers, Summer Juried Exhibition, 2018
California Arts Council, Merced Etching Exhibit, 2018
Off Center, Arts Obispo, San Luis Obispo, Juried print show 2008
California Dreaming, SLO Art Center Invitational 2008
Natural History Museum, Morro Bay State Park, Guest Exhibitor 2003-08
Made in Spain, and Illuminated Nights, Art Is For Everyone! Baywood Park 2008
Caution-ArtZone, SLO Art Center curated exhibit, 2007
Figure Drawing-The Heart of Art, Art Is for Everyone!, Baywood Park 2007
Every Picture tells a Story, Santa Monica, CA. Exhibiting artist of Mythic-Fantasy etchings, 2005
Southern Expressions Gallery, New Orleans, LA. Exhibiting etching artist, 2002 to present.
Visions Gallery, Morro Bay, CA. Exhibiting artist etchings, 2001 to 2004
Dawn of Time Gallery, Laguna Nigel, CA. Exhibiting artist, 1999 to 2001
Renaissance Pleasure Faire, CA. 1990 to the Present. Juried Spring and Autumn event. I exhibit and demonstrate etching and other printmaking techniques.
Santa Barbara Printmakers, CA. 1998. Juried group show.
Abreu Gallery, Sacramento, CA. 1998. Two man show with L. Filgate
Art-A-Fair, Laguna Beach, CA. Summer 1998. Juried group show
Arte de Granada, Granada, Spain. 1997. Group show
Central Coast Printmakers, San Luis Obispo, CA. 1983 through 2005. Open juried printmaker shows.
1+1 Conjugal Collaborations, SLO Art Center, San Luis Obispo, CA. 1989. Two artist couples, invitational show.
Drawings: Five viewpoints, San Luis Obispo, CA. October 1988. Arne Nybak curator, artists’ drawings as completed works of art.
Mid-State Fair, Paso Robles, CA. 1985 and 1988 through 1992. Juried printmaker exhibitions.
Wasco Rose Festival Invitational, CA 1985. Invitational group show.
Friends of the Arts Gallery, Hermosa Beach, CA. 1980. Three person printmaker show with Rita Newkirk and William Auclair.
EDUCATION
Pratt Institute, New York, 1960-1964. BFA degree in Graphic Arts and Illustration.
Art Students League, New York, Summer 1960. Figure drawing.
Peace Corps Training, Puerto Rico, 1964-1965. Folk arts & Spanish.
School of Visual Arts, New York, 1966-1967. Typographic design.
El Camino College, Los Angeles, 1973-1974. Viscosity printmaking.
Taller Darro, Granada, Spain, 1987. Aquatinting & editioning skills.
Taller Montijano, Granada, Spain, 1996. Collograph printmaking.
Taller Booth, Pinos Genil, Spain, 1997. Advanced printmaking.
AWARDS, HONORS, RESIDENCIES
2006 Award for Intaglio Printmaking, Tabula Rasa Juried Show, San Luis Obispo
1998 Silver Prize, Santa Barbara Printmakers
1986 to 1987 Artist-in-Residence, Fundación Rodriguez-Acosta, Granada, Spain. In charge of the museum’s printmaking studio.
Invited Demonstrating Printmaker, 1988 through 1990 California Mid-State Fair, Paso Robles, California
Awards for Intaglio Printmaking, 1985, 1986 and 1988 California Mid-State Fair.
RELATED ART ENDEAVORS
Printmaking Instructor, Cuesta College Community Programs, 2006 Introduction to printmaking.
Curator, From the Waist Up, Art Lives Here Gallery’s 1999 Summer Figure Show.
Curator, Printmakers Invitational Show, Tri-county printmaking invitational show sponsored by the SLO Art Center in 1999.
Founder San Luis Artists’ Gallery, an artists’ co-operative and one of the largest private galleries between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Guest lecturer, Cal Poly State University, 1993 to 1997. Drawing for printmaking. Paso Robles Art Association, 2006. Durer and 15th century printmaking. Atascadero Art Association, 2003 and 2005. “What is an original print?
Workshop instructor, 1984 to the present. I teach intaglio printmaking workshops to adult artists.
Book illustrator, for Tabula Rasa Press, September 1983 to June 1989. A fine book, letterpress publisher.
Author/Publisher, co-authored and published How to Design for Stained Glass (1977), a best selling book in its field. The Mythic-Fantasy Coloring book (2000), an adult skill level coloring book.
Printmaker/owner of Granada Arts Studio, 1980 to 1990. With my wife Barbara, I created, printed and painted original prints for national distribution.