Thank you for taking time to read my artist statement. My name is Rob DeLoach, and one of the primary subjects of my art is trees. I am in complete awe of trees for countless reasons. I grew up playing in the woods behind our house where there was a tiny creek and acres of pine, oak, apple, maple, dogwood, willow, and cherry trees. After years spent playing in those woods, it became an inevitable conclusion that I grew quite familiar with the majority of the trees who lived there. They took on individual personalities to me, and to this day, I still consider trees to be as individual as humans are. Trees breathe, and move, and they are uncontrollably shaped by their immediate environment. I love that a tree can be its own self sustaining ecosystem, providing countless benefits for any number of different creatures. Trees offer us shade, shelter, air, fuel, food, medicine, weapons, textiles, recreation, and inspiration. Would mankind be here if there were no trees? They are incredibly diverse, highly adapted, and they stand tall and strong. I love that trees plant roots and reach for the sky. I often catch myself marveling in amazement at majestic trees that will most likely outlive me.
The inspiration for my art comes largely from the natural world. Living in Hawaii is a blessing which provides constant visual stimulation and divine inspiration. I make art of trees out of wood and paper. I prefer to paint on actual cuts of wood, or wooden panels made of maple or poplar over traditional canvas supports. I’ve recently had fortunate access to reclaimed wood culled from the trees of Oahu’s highly revered Waimea Valley. The two species of tree I use from Waimea are Milo, which has many historical uses in Polynesian culture, and Chinaberry which is a true mahogany. I use a great variety of materials in my mixed media work, which may include: spray paint, acrylic paint, pencil, ink, prismacolor pencils, charcoal, and cut collaged wood and paper. I love the problem solving required to make different materials work cohesively in one piece of art. The act of painting can be therapeutic, meditational, or sometimes an emotional rollercoaster. Just like most of the trees around me, I believe that my art has the opportunity to survive long after I am gone.