Bob Cronk is a professional artist that is known for works covering a wide variety of subject matter. His traditional and abstract paintings and drawings are enjoyed by private collectors and many works are completed by commission. Mediums employed are acrylics, OILS, watercolors, pen & Ink, graphite and charcoal.
Bob was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He is a son of an Army officer and a US Air Force veteran providing security on a B-52 base during the Vietnam war years. During those years he visited many countries and saw firsthand different cultures and expressions of art. He studied at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia, Pa. and is a signature member of ISAP – the International Society of Acrylic Painters. He worked as an illustrator for Georgia-Pacific Corporation, printing firms, various trade groups and small businesses. Along the way he established a sign painting business in historic Cape May, N.J. featuring hand lettering and large murals. He is a member of the Scottsville, Va. Chamber of commerce.
His studio is located south of Charlottesville in Albemarle County Virginia where he and his wife Diane have made their residence since 1987. Their two grown sons live in Michigan and Massachusetts.
Artist’s Statement
I get a profound satisfaction in producing a work that brings a smile. While getting the technique correct is important and its own reward, the satisfaction that I made somebody’s day is priceless.
I draw inspiration for my paintings from many worldly places, but much comes from outside my door in central Virginia with its forests, fields, historic towns, and villages.
With traditional work I am drawn to land and seascapes. During winter the landscape light is reflected in diffuse patterns creating a spectrum of colors that normally isn’t seen during the warmer months. Seascapes are interesting because of the dynamics involving atmospheric changes affecting land and sea. There’s always a new look with the passage of time.
Abstract work is my escape from the rules of traditional painting. With abstract expression one can paint freely using various shapes and colors. Just as with a traditional work there are happy accidents that just happen and when it all comes together it’s a symphony.
Light is where the action is and how it plays upon a subject is both an inspiration and a challenge for me to recreate.