art collecting

The Art of Caring for Acrylic Paintings

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As an artist who specializes in acrylic impressionism, maintaining the longevity and quality of my work is just as important as creating it. If you’re here, you know my name is Rob Medley—not to be confused with Robert Medley, the English painter (you can find more about him here). I’ve been painting since 2014, and … Read more

Let’s Talk Commissions

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A vibrant collage of various artistic paintings. Images include colorful abstract patterns, nature scenes, a close-up of an eye, a deer, a person with a torch, floral designs, a silhouette of a couple against a sunset, and a woman with a headscarf. Let's talk commissions for your unique art needs!


I do commission work. If you’ve got something in mind, need something big, different from my norm, etc., I will take on the job.

You’ll notice that my art generally is in the 16×20 or 18×24 range.  This is due to storage issues. I’ve done two bigger works, each at 30-something by forty-something (below), and have had to store them on my walls since there’s only so much space for keeping these paintings dry and temperature controlled. 

Unity, 2016

This isn’t to say I wouldn’t mind painting bigger canvases, but until I get my studio set up, slated for February 2018, I can only take commissions for bigger work.

Firefly, 2016 (A light-based, 3-D Painting / Sculpture)

So yeah, big canvases are not a problem. I use a formula to calculate the price, basically a base of the canvas size times hours invested, plus materials and the dreaded beast – shipping. 

If you are interested in having something painted, by all means contact me. If you have a reference picture that would be super-awesome. We can set up a conference call to discuss the work desired.

Note, my Achilles heel is doing realistic paintings of people. Animals? No problem. Concept or abstract art? Also, no problem. I will do portraits but can’t guarantee they will be spot on. Let’s go to the studio for a reference (below):


Now, granted this was painted two years ago when I was just starting (hopefully I’ve gotten better), but there are things I would do better/different now. Luckily, payment sort of fell through (they broke up), so I don’t feel bad about the work.

So actual portraits are a roll of the dice, enhanced portraits (kind of like Hollywood – based on actual people / events) are doable. Landscapes, flowers, animals, or abstract? The sky is the limit.

If you’re interested in hiring me to do commission work, send me an email using the contact form.

Legacy of the Viking

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A textured painting with a bronze dragon at the center, set against a blue background with swirling red, gold, and brown splatters. Symbols resembling animals and celestial figures enhance its mythical quality, evoking the spirit of the Legacy of the Viking in an abstract form.

This #painting was inspired by my fascination with #Viking culture. The whole concept of living day to day not knowing whether it was going to be your last seems so much more exciting than being assured  you are getting up today, tomorrow, and the next day, with the firm realiziation that you will be doing PowerPoint or some other banal thing to pay divorce debt. But I digress…


Viking culture, it’s loud, in your face, mystical, even… primal. The #dragon is central to this culture. Níõhöggr, a dragon in the Völuspá; Jörmungandr, the #Midgard Serpent, who will begin #Ragnarök; Fáfnir, of the Völsung Cycle and the Drekki in the Gesta Danorum, are examples of wyrms  that litter #Norse literature and theology.


This artwork is inspired by Norse jewelry design. It also serves as a proof of concept for a path I want to follow; combining manuscript illumination, 3D design, other elements of the Dark Ages… and #cake #decorating.

The composition is mixed media. Really, it’s mostly acrylic paint on canvas, but given depth through the use of gels and such. I also used a spare icing thingy I had laying around. What can I say? Cutting edge?


Anyway, I hope you like it. I’ve taken several types of photos in different light to show off its metallic character. I used a piece of broken blue glass for the eye. In future art, I’m going to use gems and stones and whatnot to give it a Medieval feel.

16×20. It’s for sale.

Aurora 

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A vibrant painting depicts a night sky filled with green and white splashes resembling stars, nebulas, and hints of an aurora. Below, a forest of leafless trees is rendered in dark red hues, creating a striking contrast against the illuminated, cosmic background.

Like most of my paintings, this one started off in another direction. I tend to go where my artistic Muse takes me, so planning is the first thing out the window. 

I started playing around on the canvas and eventually ended up with this. The scene in the painting is ostensibly a forest under the night sky, in abstract form, of course.  I named it ‘Aurora’ because it reminded me of a bucket list item, seeing the Aurora Borealis. 


A variety of techniques went into the creation of the artwork. I assume they have proper names in the art world, but I used a combination of wet canvas / color bleed, spatter (as the result of playing air-drummer while my favorite music was on), and using black gesso to fill in the branches.

Overall, I’m going with a win for the rescue of the painting. 18×24, acrylic on canvas, April 30, 2017.

Night Light

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A glowing paper lantern illuminates a dark, vibrant night scene with bright light. Surrounded by tree branches and leaves with hints of red and orange, the night light creates a striking, cozy contrast against the deep, colorful background.

Night Light is the first attempt to create the scene I was envisioning as a painting.  I realized too late, that I had made the street lamp too big relative to what I wanted to happen around it.  I would have needed a canvas three times the size to keep the perspective of what is in my head.  I therefore made the reluctant decision to leave it as is and start another canvas using the street light theme.

In the meantime, I hope you like the results of this one, as it has a few quirks to it.  Also, I hope you stick around for what will be the ultimate realization of the vision I have for the scene.


The scene here is reminiscent of what I see when I go for my evening walks.  I’m infatuated with light, and any unusual display of it will stop me in my tracks.  It’s kind of like “Shiny Object Syndrome”, only literally.  There’s a tree and street light combination on the corner of my block that inspired this painting.

This is 18″x24″, acrylic paint on canvas, April 27, 2017.

Art for the Homeless

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A surreal painting of a woman in the foreground with a road extending into the distance. Two smaller figures appear further down the road. The sky is filled with vibrant, swirling clouds in shades of purple, yellow, and red above a twilight horizon. Trees line the road in this Art for the Homeless piece.

I’ve been doing random acts of kindness for the homeless for a while now, 2-3 lunches instead of just mine, coffee for my man hanging in Starbucks to keep warm, a buck or two here and there… 

I’m going to say this up front, I’m not tooting my own horn. 

I firmly believe that in telling people you do these acts of kindness; it lessens the value of the act with any higher powers that may be out there. I’d rather keep it simple, but I have a project that is growing.  

You see, I’m putting together backpacks for the homeless in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area. 

 In each backpack is a warm blanket, a Mylar blanket for the cold nights, a magnesium Firestarter, two pairs of socks, a rain poncho, a copy of the ‘SAS Survival Guide’, basic toiletries, food & water, and a little extra for train fare (in case it gets too cold out – you can ride the Metro all day). If I find camping / survival deals on Amazon, I’ll include them in the bags.

Why do this?

I’m an artist at heart, and I want my work to mean something; not just end up (possibly) making someone millions in the future when I’m long departed. Selling art now to fund this program seems to be a very cool thing in my mind.  

Most homeless don’t want to be where they are. Some have problems with drugs, alcohol, or mental health issues. Others have been out on the fringe of society for so long that they don’t know or want to reintegrate with society. I give them the benefit of the doubt in every case.  

How you fit in?  

I’m going to sell each original work I do for $99 dollars plus shipping. If you purchase a work, I’ll give you the opportunity to add extra donations to the purchase via PayPal (how I can take credit cards and keep my inbox safe). All of this money will all go to making packs for the homeless. 

 So far each backpack is averaging around $50, even by trolling Amazon for the $10 backpacks and blankets. If the project grows too big, I’ll have to start a non-profit.

I’ll have the first four ready to go on Monday (most of the initial gear is en-route). My plan is to carry one to work or each time I go into the city. When I find a suitable candidate (I can tell between those truly in need and the ones that get in a Lexus at the end of the day), I’ll give them the pack.

Final note,

You don’t have to buy my art to do this, you can do it on your own too.    

Flight of the Raven

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A vibrant painting depicts a large, luminous moon surrounded by colorful clouds against a pink and orange sky. In the foreground, a dark blue bird with bright, reflective eyes appears to gaze toward the moon, an enchanting moment in the Flight of the Raven, framed by abstract, swirling shapes and colors.

My first finger-painting since the third grade.  I’ve always wondered how effective it would be. The answer? For a guy with big fingers, I can’t get any detail.  I’m going back to brushes for the next one, but it was fun to ‘roll around in the mud’, if you will, and stretch my wings.

As I’ve said, no brush touched this canvas.  It looks like it, right? The story, a raven soars in the evening sky, trees below and a gibbous moon riding high in the sky, illuminating it’s coat as it searches for a throne upon which to perch… or something like that.

Acrylic finger-painting on canvas (good thing its not the Middle Ages, where this stuff was not cheap). Comments welcome, I have mostly thick-skin 🙂

dsc_0451-edit

Being Koi

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A close-up photo of a mosaic artwork featuring two green shapes resembling organic forms, possibly cells, amidst a background of multicolored, reflective, broken glass pieces. Red fragments are scattered between the green shapes, adding contrast.

This started as something else, then I had the idea to use crushed glass, self-leveling clear gel, other gels, and acrylic paint on canvas board. It really just came together as a pond with a Koi fish inside. 


Top Down View

I started with a base of deeper color, then laid the crushed glass, and held it in place with clear gel.


(Viewed at an angle)

The lillies were originally rocks but morphed into the former when I went away from a flowing river concept.


(Lilly closeup)

The lillies are made from gold and metallic colors, filled with clear gel, and dusted with a translucent white gel to represent reflection.


(Close up of Koi)

In full light, I’m sure that it will sparkle more.

11″ x 14″ and is currently available.

Berries

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A vibrant painting depicts abstract red flowers and berries on green stems against a background of swirling yellow, blue, and green hues. The bold, textured strokes create a lively and colorful composition.

“Berries”, a fluff piece really; designed to get me painting again. I’d lost the Muse for a moment, so I just went with what I felt. This is a combination of acrylics, extremely watered down to look like… errr, watercolors. I then used some spray painting (nice fumes on that one) with stencils and these odd polystyrene balls I found at Michael’s. To finish it off, I used fingers to paint what the balls could not. I’m hoping the brilliance of the reds hold when the paints dry. This is 18×24 and is multimedia.

berries-1

Test of Faith

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A cold winter evening, somewhere in the city.  On the roof of a nondescript tenement, a life is about to end… or is it about to begin?

Every artist does a religious painting at some point (at least the ones I follow), so here is my contribution to that lexicon of beauty.

useme_tof

Castle S

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A misty, ethereal landscape painting depicting a medieval castle with pointed towers and rooftops. The background is shrouded in fog, creating a mysterious atmosphere. Warm autumn foliage surrounds the structures, adding a touch of color.

I’ve completed another painting. I’m experimenting with fog / mist. It’s a process. I didn’t do so well on this one; hence ‘Castle S’. I’m going to call it a practice piece for the next work,  in which this will be the background for the action in that scene. This is 16 x 20, acrylic and spray paint on canvas. If you’re interested, I’ll let it go for $100.

use-me

Gathering of Souls

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A vibrant painting depicts a dark blue bird mid-flight against a colorful, abstract background. The background, reminiscent of a Gathering of Souls, features dynamic, multi-colored brushstrokes in green, yellow, red, and more. Additional smaller blue birds can be seen flying in the distance.

‘Gathering of Souls’: People once believed that when someone dies in battle, a raven flies at dusk to carry their soul to the land of the dead.

This is a rescue painting. Originally it was going to be a geometric design based on the Old Futhark rune for prosperity, which looks like an angular version of those ‘support x’ magnets you see on the back of cars. It would have been entitled “The Tree of Othala”, which is the name of the rune.

Unfortunately, I’m not Cezanne and kind of messed up; so I went in another direction.
I can do better but I wanted to show that not everything we do as artists is that great. Still, I’m curious as to thoughts on it?