About the Artist: Robert F. Irwin: August 2, 1944 - April 17, 2023 Robert Irwin spent most of his childhood moving around the South until his parents settled in Atlanta in the 50s. Robert attended the University of Georgia in the early 1960s when Lamar Dodd, a member of the Ashcan School, was in his zenith. Robert worked as a museum designer, then earned a Master’s degree in Product Design from the North Carolina State University School of Design, and founded Images, Inc., a high-end custom furniture company. At Images, he was able to be creative and use his design skills, but ultimately, painting became his driving ambition. Desiring to simplify his life and live near the water, Robert sold his company and moved to the North Carolina coastal city of Beaufort, where he pursues his painting career and his love of sailing. Water appears in most of his paintings, drawing a more than casual connection between himself and his environment. Watch the video about Robert F. Irwin in his own words.