Robert John Gildemeester

Robert John was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1925. Through the years he moved to Richmond, Tsawassen and 4 yrs ago to the beautiful Creston Valley. Robert John has practiced many forms of art including: drawing pencil/pen, scratchboard, pastel, charcoal, woodworking, leatherwork and painting. He has practiced acrylic, oil and watercolor painting but he prefers mixed media painting.

Robert John has been enjoying art since he was 6 yrs. old. He is a self-taught artist, and has taken some painting workshops/classes over the years, mainly about mixing and understanding color. Robert John says he has taught a few classes over the years, and he remembers one of his students that became a very talented artist and still today in her 80’s, paints.

One of Robert John’s favorite memories is meeting his wife Jeanette. He also remembers the great times of his hockey days, playing, coaching and watching. Robert John’s favorite book is ‘The Lions Feed’ by Wilber Smith. A book of filtered history about South Africa, of domination, and of diamonds, a fantastic book to read.

Robert John absolutely enjoys creating art projects. He does his paintings because of color, the show of feelings. “You create your feelings put them on canvas or paper and they will always be there”, he says. He even writes verses of songs that come to him, and then he gives them to his son so he can sing them. Colors are Robert John’s biggest influences though, the dynamic, the burst of all the different feelings.

A favorite painting of Robert John’s is ‘The Angel’, because of the color and the wings. It is displayed in a Catholic Church and oh… the comments. A painting usually takes Robert John 2 weeks to 3 months to complete; it really depends on the piece. Currently he is fighting with the face of a painting of ‘Forbidden Love’. It is two paintings 6x8 and 4x6 in size; they will hang together side by side. A black man thinking back to a time when racial relationships were forbidden and the other painting of his lost love, a young white woman.

Robert John would like to learn more about photography, in Vancouver or Chiliwack. His oldest and most interesting piece is a sailboat Robert John and his long time friend Dave Brooks built together, ‘The Trimeran’. Robert John has belonged to many clubs over the years but not at the present time. A tip he would like to share “I want to know Gods thoughts, the rest is details!”

Biography taken by Yvonne Sulko

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