About the artist:

Born a native Californian in 1933, Robert Schaar is a nationally recognized painter whose representational style is described as "deceptively loose and spontaneous". He is highly regarded as a portrait painter, for his portrayal of a variety of subjects including American and European scenes, and for his colorful depiction of thoroughbred racing. His work is on permanent exhibit in the Kentucky Derby Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., the Pentagon, the NASA Space Museum, Cape Canaveral, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the Saudi Arabia Royal Air Force Headquarters in Riyadh. Schaar's portrait commissions include many government and private industry notables. He is one of an elite group of nationally recognized artists who comprise the NASA Art Program and his work is included in NASA's Vision of Flight show viewed in museums throughout the world. Born in Pasadena and raised in Arcadia where his father owned and raced thoroughbreds, Schaar's childhood memories are reflected in many of his thoroughbred works which, in addition to the Kentucky Derby Museum, hang in private collections throughout the world. A winner of many Gold Medals in juried art shows, Schaar's colorful, brushy style is in great demand as he continues to capture the excitement and expanse of today's lifestyle. He was selected as the official artist for the 1992 U.S. Open Golf Championship at Pebble Beach. Schaar is past president of the California Art Club (to whom many of the now popular early California "plein air painters" belonged) and a member and past Air Force Art Chairman of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. He has judged many major art shows including the prestigious New York Society of Illustrators show in New York City. Schaar received his training in the early 1950's at the famous Art Center School of Design where he was a fine arts major. Upon conclusion of his Korean War tour of duty in the U.S. Navy where he served as staff artist at the U.S. Naval Training Center in San Diego, he completed his art apprenticeship in Europe and in Los Angeles, California. He immediately became a working artist and for the past three decades has continued his signature representational style in oils and acrylics which has earned him a reputation as one of the most exciting American artists of our time. Schaar has his studio in Southern California and his wife Jacqueline operates their gallery in the same location.