bio

Robert Ibarra's work involves self-portraiture where he investigates the possibilities of finding a balance between realism and abstraction to convey emotion that is tied to
personal experiences. He first developed an interest in art at the age of twelve. He holds an Associate degree in Fine Arts from Truckee Meadows Community College and is currently working toward a BFA from the University of
Nevada, Reno.

While in community college, Ibarra had participated in the annual student art exhibition three years in a row and had his first solo exhibition in 2018. He also received two honorable mention awards and was a recipient for the Visual Arts Student of the Year award in 2018. At UNR he had recently completed his exhibition that showcased his progress halfway through the BFA program. His next big project will be working toward his thesis exhibition where he plans to further expand on creating a connection through emotion between subject (artist) and viewer.

artist statement

My drawings involve the human figure and attempts to find a balance between realism and abstraction to convey
emotion that is tied to personal experiences. My work serves as a way to relate to and evoke genuine reactions and feelings from the viewer. I want to provide an opportunity for dialogue with one another about their own personal struggles.

All my life I have struggled with personal battles such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), physical health issues, shyness, sensitivity, and anxiety. I had also found it
extremely difficult to process and express these feelings, especially at a young age, being unable to understand what these struggles were and still having these same difficulties now in adulthood.

My interest in developing a connection between the subjects of my work and the viewer through emotion
goes back several years. The work of my past serves as the steppingstones for my current work, which has inevitably become much more personal in nature since
I use myself as the subject. I allow myself to be vulnerable and begin to develop the confidence to display and talk about my flaws. My hope is that viewers can find it in themselves to release what has been building up inside them for so long. That they may be free from the prison that they've put themselves in.