Rob Moler earned his MFA in painting from Radford University in 1989. A native Virginian, the artist has lived in Kentucky for over 25 years. Rob made the move to Memphis, Tennessee in February, 2016. Rob has taught visual art on the private school and college levels, managed and operated a college art gallery, and directed his own gallery for many years which showcased the work of Kentucky artists and craftsmen. While his gallery was in operation, Rob organized over 50 regional, national and international art exhibitions for the Danville, Kentucky community. The artist’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has been included in both university and private collections. Having earned his second master’s degree in social work in 2013, Rob has most recently been employed as a therapist in the Kentucky public school system and encouraged children and youth to explore their emotions through expressive art therapy. Rob is the author/illustrator of a pop-up children’s book, IF I WERE A HALLOWEEN MONSTER (Little, Brown & Company), which was inspired by his three children when they were wee ones. Rob enjoys the new title of “grandpa” with the recent arrival of his first grandchild in May, 2016. ARTIST’S STATEMENT “I believe in the magic of objects. Objects, whether man-made or natural, have the power to transport us through time and space. Objects whisper words from cherished loved ones, dance to the tunes of faded youth, and echo the bittersweet of life experience. We feather our nests with these shiny things throughout the course of our lives. My compositions are slowly crafted to tell visual stories which are both personal and universal. I began this series as an exercise in art therapy to help me reconcile the death of a beloved family member. Each composition began with my symbol of love, the iris, which is both perennial and fragile in nature. From this central focus I worked outward, spending a great deal of time thinking about other objects that might relate to each other in some way to express my thoughts on life, relationships, and loss. Often my symbolism challenges the core beliefs found in the religious traditions of our western world. Latin titles were chosen to inspire curiosity and to provide initial direction to the visual mystery. I am drawn to surrealism as it depicts a world where time is meaningless and gravity does not rule. In my surreal landscapes, objects are possessed by the spirits of positive and negative emotions or are carried by my little hummingbird messengers to add further depth to the story. Hopefully my work will connect emotionally with my viewers, encouraging them to unmask these objects to discover their spiritual core and find personal meaning within.”