RL Ireland
When RL Ireland, Bob, grew up, he dreamt of becoming a Corsair Fighter Pilot in World War II. But they say the fates will have their way, and he was born 22 years too late for the Allied Forces. So Bob chose a decidedly more pacifistic route and became an ad guy, visually inspiring his clients one creative campaign at a time. While Bob became an accomplished photographer later in life, it was simply a matter of time before he found his way behind the lense. His fascination with watching the world go by was fueled by his parents, both of whom understood the tantamount importance of finding beauty in the mundane. They encouraged him to appreciate the natural world, fostering in him an abiding love of outdoor pursuits. Bob's parents lived life in the moment, perhaps their most enduring legacy and foundation for his body of work. Whether on Johns Bay, The Red Hills, or the Taconic Parkway, they encouraged their youngest son to keep his eyes wide open.
When Bob was eight, his mother bought him a Kodak Instamatic Pocket Camera, a gift he had been relentlessly badgering her to acquire and which he promptly burnished to torment …
When RL Ireland, Bob, grew up, he dreamt of becoming a Corsair Fighter Pilot in World War II. But they say the fates will have their way, and he was born 22 years too late for the Allied Forces. So Bob chose a decidedly more pacifistic route and became an ad guy, visually inspiring his clients one creative campaign at a time. While Bob became an accomplished photographer later in life, it was simply a matter of time before he found his way behind the lense. His fascination with watching the world go by was fueled by his parents, both of whom understood the tantamount importance of finding beauty in the mundane. They encouraged him to appreciate the natural world, fostering in him an abiding love of outdoor pursuits. Bob's parents lived life in the moment, perhaps their most enduring legacy and foundation for his body of work. Whether on Johns Bay, The Red Hills, or the Taconic Parkway, they encouraged their youngest son to keep his eyes wide open.
When Bob was eight, his mother bought him a Kodak Instamatic Pocket Camera, a gift he had been relentlessly badgering her to acquire and which he promptly burnished to torment his older sister Nancy as she sunned herself by their family pool. His camera collection has expanded exponentially since those youthful days and he no longer uses them as weapons against his siblings, but rather as tools to remind us to open our eyes. In his photographs he brings his love of the outdoors together with his passion for finding something interesting in everything he sees. Bob's work is focused on a series of life's ordinary moments. He captures the things we all know are there but simply stop seeing. His imagery offers unique perspectives on our everyday environments -- a bale of hay, a tree in a snowy field, a resplendent Azalea tree in full bloom, a stinger, a bathtub drain, and trees lining the highway seen from a train window as he speeds past. He challenges you to look at your world through different eyes and plays with the idea that though the environment around you might remain the same, it will never look the same way twice.
Bob's work lives in prestigious and esteemed private collections in New York City, Tokyo, Maine and New Orleans. His first solo exhibition was at 371 Madison, New York, NY in February of 2012.
Courtesy of the artist.
