San Francisco based artist, art educator
I am Robert Windle, an artist deeply enthralled by the world of painting, exploring the realms of oil and acrylic on canvas and panels to create evocative abstract compositions. My artistic journey is intertwined with my profound love for jazz, a genre that elevates my soul and mind to transcendent levels. When I immerse myself in its melodies and syncopations, I visualize a vibrant tapestry of colors and lines, birthed by the rhythm. It is this vibrant imagery that fuels my creative process.
The interplay between improvisational dance interpretations of jazz and the layering of gestures, colors, and textures forms the cornerstone of my work. My portfolio encompasses a diverse range of mediums, including paintings, drawings, digital prints, monotypes, and multimedia performance collaborations.
In selecting my subject matter, I am guided by the colors I experience through a synesthetic response to music. This phenomenon allows the auditory to transform into a visual spectrum, guiding my artistic choices and infusing my work with a unique essence.
What captivates me is the movement and energy inherent in creating art. The act of pushing paint, building layers, and losing myself in the process enables the paint to dictate the terms of its appearance. This dynamic interplay keeps the scene alive and continually evolving.
Jazz, particularly the edgy brilliance of be-bop and the compositions of legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis, serve as my constant muse. Their music ignites my imagination and propels my art forward with every brushstroke.
My technique is anchored in an ever-evolving exploration—an intuitive dialogue between color, form, and myself. By allowing this conversation to unfold naturally, I permit the essence of my work to guide my progression, resulting in art that is both fluid and deeply personal. Through this method, I strive to create pieces that resonate with the same energy and spontaneity that jazz imparts on its listeners.
Robert Windle is a San Francisco artist and art educator. After discharge from the Air Force, he completed his BA, teaching credential, and MA in painting from San Jose State University.
Robert began his career at the San Jose Museum of Art as a teacher and co-director of a very successful art program for children where he obtained grant funding to launch an innovative outreach program with local school districts to integrate the Museum program with the schools’ elementary curricula, teacher training, and studio art practices. He continued to work as an art educator at Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco for over 27 years.
Prior to the pandemic, Robert hosted weekly life drawing workshops for adults in his studio, and was honored to participate as an artist in residence at the Vytlacil Campus of the Art Students’ League in the Hudson River Valley of New York, during the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2016. He has also participated in numerous professional development workshops and residencies including Making Art Safely printmaking workshops in Santa Fe New Mexico and a summer residency for working artists/educators at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Robert Windle has maintained a studio in the San Francisco Mission District for over 30 years and has exhibited in numerous group shows and open studio events. His work has been included in exhibitions at the Monterey Museum of Art and the San Francisco Art Institute . Robert’s work is included in the collections of the San Jose Museum of Art, the City of Monterey, Tulane University School of Law, Nordstrom Stores Inc., and other private and corporate collections.