Robert Hess (artist)

Hess was born on August 12, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York. As a youth, he regularly rode the New York City Subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other museums around the city. The city also gave him an appreciation for diverse cultures which eventually found its way into his art. In high school, Hess and a friend made large puppets which they used in shows at local grade schools. After high school, Hess attended Brooklyn College. Initially, he studied medicine. However, within a year, he shifted his focus to arts and began painting. He then moved to Europe where he traveled widely, studying the paintings in museum collections. He copied works by old masters to improve his painting technique. In England, Hess learned to paint in the style of John Constable, selling his paintings through a New York City art dealer. Later that year, he was received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Notre Dame. == College professor ==

In the fall of 1972, Hess was hired as an art professor at Willamette University. When he arrived, the university did not have a sculpture studio so Hess began his work in an auditorium attic area. Initially, he taught classes in sculpture and basic design. Later, Hess added classes in figure drawing, structural design, and metalsmithing. Hess eventually began operating a foundry to produce metal sculptures. In 1977, the State of Oregon added a new wing to the state capitol. Hess was one of seven experts who selected 170 works of art for permanent display in the new capitol wing. As a member of the selection jury, he screened hundreds paintings and sculptures submitted by Oregon's art community and recommended which works should be acquire by the state. Hess was a gifted teacher as well as an outstanding artist. In his teaching role, he had a significant impact on multiple generations of Willamette students. His students included Marie Watt and Lee Imonen, both became well-known artists in their own right. Hess remained a member of the Willamette faculty for 34 years, retiring from the university in 2006. After retiring from his college faculty position, Hess was honored as professor emeritus by Willamette University. He also continued to create art from his home studio, producing some of his best work after he retired from teaching. Hess died in Salem on May 8, 2014, at the age of 78. == Art work ==

Hess was a sculptor, painter, and designer. He is widely recognized as an important Pacific Northwest artist. Over the years, Hess received many public and private commissions for his art work, especially his abstract metal figures and wood carvings. He also won numerous awards for his creative work. Hess' sculptures are in the American modernist tradition. They ranged from uniquely stylized drummers and other figures to abstract works with intertwining forms and interesting surface textures. Hess was always seeking new shapes and unique structural designs to incorporate into his sculptures. His creations are fanciful and exuberant. He often used bronze or steel for his sculptures. Some of his metal works are welded while other works are cast. His bronze sculpture, Skull, is located in the plaza in front of the Salem Convention Center. The Drummer is in the foyer of the Salem Public Library. In 2014, the library added another Hess sculpture called Falling Books to its art collection. His sculpture titled Rooster is located just outside the entrance to the Bush Barn Art Center, welcoming visitors to the Salem Art Association's museum. Hess also created a realistic life-size statue of Willamette University track and field coach Charles Bowles. The statue is located at McCulloch Stadium in Salem near the campus of Willamette University. The Charles Bowles statue was dedicated in a public ceremony in 2012. == Exhibitions ==

Hess' art work has been displayed in a number of special museum exhibits and gallery shows including: • Waterstone Gallery (Portland, Oregon); Sue-Del McCulloch and Robert Hess New Work, 2011 • Hallie Ford Museum of Art (Salem, Oregon); Robert Hess: Recent Work, 2004 • Fairbanks Gallery (Corvallis, Oregon); Robert Hess: Cast and Forged Bronze Sculpture, 2002–2003 • Hallie Ford Museum of Art (Salem, Oregon); Robert Hess, Sculptures, 1999 • Willamette University (Salem, Oregon); Art Reunion, 1991 • Coos Art Museum (Coos Bay, Oregon); invitational exhibit, 1980 == References ==