As a professor of art for 32 years Bob is very well aware of what he wants from life: “I don’t think about the hours or how much I’m getting paid, it’s about the quality of the work, that’s what drives me.” Bob Petillo is a very committed man; committed to his work, his country, and the idea that no job is more valuable than the one you love. He is a simple man who has found the secret to a happy life; allowing yourself to enjoy the little things.
While growing up in the 1950’s Bob fell in love with the American way and the idea that if you work for something hard enough you will achieve it. His most recent collections include: The Cookie Jar Series, Hood Ornaments, and Reflections of America. The Cookie Jar series was made to transport you to childhood and the days when you could barely reach the counter. the Hood Ornament collection highlights the perfection of American craftsmanship by depicting hood ornaments from classic American made cars. Lastly, the Reflections of America collection delicately hides American flags in plain sight to show different scenes in America today. The one thing that they all have in common is the fact that they all focus on the America that once created and achieved great things. The previously stated collections are riddled with nostalgia that will be sure to bring you back to better days in the USA.
Some of his more creative collections stem from his own world of science fiction. Often engulfed by mesmerizing galaxy covered skies and depicting both strong warrior women and delicate feminine ladies. Bob’s science fiction realism allows you to look into a world so amazing you wish it could be real. If he has yet to impress you perhaps his work in music illustration will do the trick. Bob spent a good portion of the 1980’s working with popular rock bands like: ACDC, The WHO, The Cars, and Asia creating band tees and posters that are still collected today. While he was working with bands by night he was teaching art classes by day proving his art to be his one true labor of passion.
In the past 50 years he has proved that he is willing to struggle for his work because of one simple and poetic idea: “Art is what gives one person a tangible form of their own individuality.” When you look at art this way it is no longer simply putting paint on a piece of paper, it is just as vital to your existence as breathing. An artist experiences art as creating a piece of yourself which is why when asked if Bob has a favorite painting he simply answered: “That’s like saying you have a favorite kid.” Why? Because when you love something, spend hours creating it, and breathe your own individuality into it then suddenly it is you.