ABOUT THE ARTIST
Perhaps best known for the movement and draftsmanship of his figure work, Rob was inspired as a child by an old copy of Hogarth’s Dynamic Figure Drawing. His interests in drawing blossomed. He pursued his dream and earned art scholarships from the Morris Louis Foundation, The National Academy of Arts and Letters, and The Knights of Columbus. These, along with a baseball scholarship, aided him in earning BFA and MFA degrees from George Washington University in Washington DC. He has since combined his fascination with anatomy, art history, and technique to produce work in a variety of disciplines including drawing, watercolor, painting, and sculpture.
Rob has been selected as a “Living Master” by the Art Renewal Center where he won the Grand Prize in their 2020 international competition with his painting “Spartan.” He received their “Collections Magazine” Award in 2017, and in 2016 his painting “5th Circle” took First Place in the Imaginative Realism category. In April 2003 Rob received the Grand Prize in the annual International Portrait Competition for the Portrait Society of America. Now on their Advisory Board, he regularly teaches and demos at portrait conferences and helps judge the annual competition. Rob is an honorary member of the American-China Oil Painting Artists League and a visiting instructor at The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, demonstrating old masters’ techniques.
Rob’s artwork has been highlighted in The Artist’s Magazine, American Artist magazine, International Artist, American Art Collector, England’s The Artist, and China’s Collections magazine. A laser etched copy of his painting “Spartan” is on the moon in perpetuity through the Lunar Codex Program/Art Renewal Center. His portrait commission include National Portrait Gallery Director Marc Pachter, President George H. Bush, and Ambassador Sol Linowitz. His portrait commissions hang in the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, the Vermont Statehouse, The Washington Court Tennis Club, the INOVA Fairfax Hospital Center, and the Naval Heritage Center, Washington DC.
Rob’s sculptures include a series of carved marble reliefs which are now permanently located in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. A life sized marble statue of Mother Teresa also stands in the Shrine, based on his design. His fifteen foot crucifix hangs above the alter in a “Our Lady of Mercy” church in Potomac, Maryland. He was elected as a member of the National Sculpture Society in 1999.
Rob is well known for his inspiring and informative teaching style. He holds workshops and museum history tours throughout the United States and Europe, and teaches regularly at The Art League of Alexandria, VA. In 2009 he pioneered one of the first online teaching courses for American Artist and, since Covid, teaches his own online classes. Liberace Studio has produced a series of tutorial dvds/downloads focused on figure, portrait and anatomy drawing and painting (see workshop page).
Rob and his wife, artist Lina Liberace have two daughters, also artists. He is represented by The Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia.
SELECTED PRESS
Todd M. Casey. The Art of Still Life, A Contemporary Guide to Classical Techniques, Composition, and Painting in Oil. New York, The Monacelli Press, 2020; pp. 122, 194;
Podcast about art “Suggested Donation” interview by artists Tony Curanaj and Edward Minoff in Miami at the FACE conference, March 26, 2019;
Wendy Li, “Robert Liberace: Realism is Like Eating.” Collections Magazine (Chinese publication), August 2018, pp. 94-97;
Robert Liberace. “A Luxurious Surface.” The Artist’s Magazine, November 2015; pp. 62-64;
Christine Egnoski. “Face-to-Face.” International Artist Magazine, April/May 2014; pp. 30-37;
Robert Liberace. “Go Figure.” The Artist’s Magazine, April 2013; pp.70-71;
Eric Cristopher Cohler. “Renaissance Painter Incarnate.” American Art Collector, October 2012; pp. 48-53;
Christine Egnoski. “Robert Liberace, First Impressions.” International Artist Magazine, June/July 2012; pp. 30-35;
Austin R. Williams. “Instructional Approaches, Five Teachers Share their Philosophies and Methods.” American Artist Drawing, The Complete Course, 2011; pp. 62-63;
Robert Libere. “A Modern Approach to Red Chalk Drawing.” American Artist Painting Workshop with the Masters Magazine, Spring 2011; pp. 98-109;
Austin R. Williams. “Drawing Workshop: Renaissance Materials and Techniques.” American Artist special interestg publication: Drawing, Spring 2011; pp. 70-77;
Austin R. Williams. “Approaches to Drawing: Five Instructors Share Their Philosophies and Methods.” American Artist Painting Workshop With The Masters Magazine, Fall 2010; pp. 56-67;
Maureen Bloomfield. “A Bevy of Brushes.” The Artist’s Magazine, November 2010; pp. 56-62;
Susan Brooker. Portrait Painting Atelier, Old Master Techniques and Contemporary Applications. New York, Watson-Guptill Publications, 2010; pp. 24, 47, 49, 89, 139;
John O’Hern. “Kinetic Qualities.” American Art Collector, March 2010; pp. 104-107;
M. Stephen Doherty. “Robert Liberace: Capturing the Energy and Expressiveness in Great Drawings and Paintings.” American Artist Workshop magazine, Summer 2009; pp. 62-73;
M. Stephen Doherty. blog entitled “Six Tips on How to Draw Anything Accurately.” June 2009, see blog;
Sandra Carpenter. “Artists of the World, Lessons Learned from the Masters.” The Artist (United Kingdom), August 2007; pp. 32-35;
Christine Proskow. “A Revelation of Lines.” The Artist’s Magazine, April 2007; cover and pp. 32-38; Read the complete text.
“Top Twenty Artists Under the Age of Forty.” The Artists magazie, February 2006.
Sallye Mahan-Cox. Discovering Drawing. Davis Publications. “Trais Crayons Portrait” (step by step demo), 2006;
M. Stephen Doherty. “Rob Liberace: Learning from the Masters.” (covers the September 2009 Northern Ireland workshop); American Artist Workshop magazine, Spring 2006; pp. 34-49;
Christine Egnoski. “The Art of the Portrait, Words from the Wise.” International Artist, April/May 2006;
Gordon Wetmore. “Robert Liberace Grand Prize Winner – The Art of the Portrait Conference 2003.” International Artist, October/November 2003; pp. 33-37;
Hope Katz Gibbs. “Robert Liberace: Reviving the Renaissance.” Elan Magazine, May 2003;
M. Stephen Doherty. “An Update on the Masters.” American Artist Magazine, Special Issue on Drawing, May 2002; cover and pp. 22-31. Read the complete text.
EXHIBITION HISTORY
July 2021, Sotheby’s, New York City, The Art Renewal Center Annual Salon
August 2017, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA – One Man Show
May 2017, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY – Art Renewal Center annual juried Salon Show
December 2016, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA – Small Works Show
July 2016, Visual Art Institute, Salt Lake City, UT – Robert Liberace, One-Man Figurative Show
December 2015, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA – Small Works Show
November 2015, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Figures and Interiors Show
May 2015, Eleventh Street Arts, NYC – Figure Drawing Exhibition
May 2015, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA – Two-Person Exhibition with Teresa Oaxaca
October 2014, Principle Gallery, Charleston, SC – Mentor-Mentee Show with Lina Liberace
May 2014, Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library, Howard University, Washington DC – Anatomy Show with his Students
May 2012, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Robert Liberace, One-Man Exhibition
January 2012, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
September 2012, Beijing World Art Museum, Beijing, China – Contemporary Imaginative Realism – Joint Show with U.S./Chinese Artists
November 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Boston International Fine Art Fair, MA
October 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
August 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – ArtAspen, CO
July 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – ArtHamptons, NY
May 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, CA
January 2011, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
November 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Boston International Fine Art Fair
MA August 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – ArtHamptons, NY
July 2010, The M Gallery of Fine Art, Charleston, SC – Group Exhibition
May 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, CA
October 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
March 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Robert Liberace, One-Man Exhibition
January 2010, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
February 2010, The John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – The Human Figure
November 2009, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Boston International Fine Art Fair, MA
September 2009, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
January 2009, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
November 2008, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Boston International Fine Art Fair, MA
October 2008, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2008, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
May 2008, The John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Drawing Exhibition
January 2008, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
November 2007, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Boston International Fine Art Fair, MA
October 2007, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2007, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
January 2007, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Los Angeles Art Show, CA
July 2007, The M Gallery of Fine Art, Sarasota, FL – The Painted Figure
October 2006, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2006, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition
January 2006, The John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Interiors
October 2005, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2005, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Small Works Exhibition 2005,
April 2004, Facesofthefallen.org, Washington DC – Faces of the Fallen Exhibition
May 2004, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Art Chicago, IL
April 2004, John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Allegories; An Invitational Exhibition
October 2003, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2003, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Classical Figure – Robert Liberace and Priscilla Treacy
May 2003, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – ArtChicago, IL
2003, The John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Self Portraits
June 2003, The John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Drawing Exhibition – The Nude Exposed
July 2002, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
July 2002, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Summer Selections
October 2001, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – U.S. Artists – Philadelphia, PA
September 2001, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – Group Exhibition
June 2001, Arcadia Gallery, NYC – The Classical Figure
October 2000, The Classical Gallery, Alexandria, VA – The Figure and Portrait
April 1998, The Classical Gallery, Alexandria, VA – Robert Liberace, One-Man Exhibition