Artist Statement

My art, in many ways, attempts to address a kind of self-exploration that is not only psychological but it is, in some ways, almost spiritual in nature. There is an attempt at poetry in my work, but instead of words I have tried to make use of the elements of design such as texture, line, shape, color, and form. Most of my paintings generally focus on the expressive nature of both the subject and the media.

Plants and Still Life

Home

Portrait and Figure

Landscape

Robert Sako

Education/training

[1972-75]: Art Education/BA, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia, USA

[2001-03]: Education with an art specialization /MA, Muskingum University, New Concord, Ohio, US

Selected group exhibitions

1990 - Wheeling Area Photography Club, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

1991 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia,

1993 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1994 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1995 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1996 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1997 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1998 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2000 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2000 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2001 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2001 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2002 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2002 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2003 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2003 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2004 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2004 - Steubenville Art Association, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2005 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2005 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2006 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2006 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2006 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2007 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2007- Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2008 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2008 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2008 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2009 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2009 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2010 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2010 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2010 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2010 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2011 - Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West

2012- Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, West

2013 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

20013 - Merit Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2014 - US Bank Award, Salt Fork Arts and Crafts Festival, Cambridge, Ohio, USA

2014 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Best Of Show, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2015 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2015 - Paint Historic Wheeling, Artworks Around Town, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2016 - Paint Historic Wheeling, Oglebay Institute, Brooks Nature Center, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2016 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2017 - First Place, Art on the Square, Caldwell, Ohio, USA

2017 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2017 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2018 - Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2021 - Dublin Area Art League 17th Annual Paint out, Dublin, Ohio, USA

2021 - Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA

2023 - Fall Members Show, Ohio Pastel Artist League, Gallery 22, Delaware, Ohio , USA

Professional contributions

1980 – 2010 - Art Instructor - k-8, Martins Ferry City Schools, Martins Ferry, Ohio, USA

2002 – 2012 -Adjunct art Instructor West Virginia Northern Community College, Wheeling West Virginia, USA

2010 – 2017 - Adult classes in drawing and pastels, Artworks Around Town, Wheeling w

1998 – 2016 - Co-founder and board member, Artworks Around Town, Wheeling, West Virginia

Awards

1990 - First Place, Wheeling Area Photography Club, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

1990 - Merit Award, Wheeling Area Photography Club, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

1991 - First Place, Wheeling Area Photography Club, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

1991 - Honorable Mention, Wheeling Area Photography Club, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

1991 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1993 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1995 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1996 Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

1998 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2001 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2002 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2003 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2004 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2005 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2006 - Honorable Mention, Oglebay Institute Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifel Fine Arts Center Wheeling, WV, USA

2006 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2007 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2007 - Purchase Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2008 - Purchase Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2008 - Merit Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2009 - Merit Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2009 - Honorable Mention, Crosscurrents, Oglebay Institute, Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2010 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2010 - Special Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2010 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2011 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2011 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2012 - Merit Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2012 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2013 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2013 - The Daily Jefferson Award, Salt Fork Arts and Crafts Festival, Cambridge, Ohio, USA

2013 - Merit Award, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2014 - US Bank Award, Salt Fork Arts and Crafts Festival, Cambridge, Ohio, USA

2014 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Best Of Show, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2015 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2015 - Honorable Mention, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2015 - Special Award, Paint Historic Wheeling, Artworks Around Town, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA2016 - Merit Award, Paint Historic Wheeling,

glebay Institute, Brooks Nature Center, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA

2016 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2017 - First Place, Art on the Square, Caldwell, Oh 2017 - Merit Award, Bethany Fall Annual, Bethany College, Bethany West Virginia, USA

2017 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

2018 - Honorable Mention, Steubenville Art Association Spring Exhibition, Steubenville, Ohio, U2021 - Honorable Mention, Dublin Area Art League 17th Annual Paint out, Dublin, Ohio, USA

2021 - 3rd Place, Plein Air Painting Competition, Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Columbus, Ohio, Usa