Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Bob Doster was born and grew up in Lancaster, SC, the oldest of six children – himself and five younger sisters – into a family of high achievers. Bob had his first exposure to art from his grandmother who was a Sunday afternoon painter. Then in his father’s sculptural steel shop where he let Bob play with a blow torch at the age of eight, from then on he was hooked with the sculpture bug. After graduation from high school, he married and had two children by the age of 19, then opened a grocery store. For the next five years, he worked 16 hours a day seven days a week to make a success of the business. He then sold the store and went back to school, where he earned his MFA from Clemson and a BFA from the University of South Carolina. Bob’s career spans 43 years as a working sculptor with artwork placed worldwide and he has taught more than 150,000 students aged four to 80 as a visiting teaching artist helping students create sculptures for themselves or as a legacy gift for their schools in the two Carolinas and Illinois.

Artist Statement

My creative process begins with a shape I see in my environment. It might be a leaf that reminds me of the childhood experience of jumping in a pile of leaves or a curved piece of paper which makes me think about riding the waves at the beach. I then build on the shapes to create a sculpture. Some pieces are whimsical and others have a profound meaning about the society we live in. If I were a tree each limb would represent a series I am working on. As my ideas grow so does the tree of my life.

Teaching Artistry Details

TEACHING ARTIST STATEMENT

The sculptures that I have created are from different branches of my Tree of Life. By that I mean every area of art that I explore is a different branch in the story of my life. As my tree grows taller more branches emerge and over time, I revisit the lower branches to incorporate new growth into the old. The projects I work on involve the students in creating a sculpture for their school, working as a group to create something greater than themselves. A self-portrait or hands type sculpture works great with students because they each have ownership of the finished sculpture by cutting out their hands or self-portrait with a plasma cutter. I have worked with over 150,000 students over the past 49 years. The students have helped create everything from benches to a full-sized leopard forming an archway entry to Logan Elementary School and a 9 ft. x 13 ft. bi-plane for a school in Quincy, IL that was built on an old airfield. I try to work within your budget to create a student-inspired legacy gift for your school that will outlast the school and have to be moved to the new school. I find myself inspired by the students and it shows in many of my sculptures.

DESCRIPTION OF OFFERINGS

The students either draw a self-portrait or trace their hand and then using a plasma cutter hand over hand cut their drawing out. I then take the hands or self-portrait and create a large sculpture of the school or create student-designed sculptures.

Experienced with the following age groups

• Kindergarten -2nd Grade
• 3rd-5th Grade
• 6th-8th Grade
• 9th-12th Grade
• Higher Education
• Adults
• Creative Aging (Adults 60+)
• Preschool (3-5 years)

Materials Provided to Schools or Organizations by Teaching Artist

I provide

• carbon or stainless steel
• the plasma cutter worktable
• safety materials, e.g., gloves, dark face shield and over shirt, and
• classroom instructions tailored to each project.

Physical and Technical Requirements of a School or Organization

I need a 220 plug; most schools have kilns and I can plug into that outlet. I have to work outside so a covered work area is ideal but not necessary; in light rain we can work under a tent.