I’m Rob Falconer, an artist based in Raleigh, North Carolina. For me, art is a way to make sense of life—a way to capture fleeting thoughts, emotions, and the often overlooked moments. Whether I’m painting, jotting down poems about my daily experiences, or sketching an idea, creating helps me express what words alone sometimes can’t.
I discovered painting in college, but my life before that revolved around athletics. Coming from a family focused on high-level sports, with my siblings and I competing throughout our childhoods, my world was all about improving my athletic abilities, not art. The idea of spending time indoors to paint instead of practicing wasn’t exactly encouraged. That changed when I went to college in Boston to study finance. To balance my intense coursework, I took an art history elective, assuming it would be an easy addition. Instead, it turned out to be a time-intensive class that introduced me to a world I’d never imagined.
The Story
Behind the Stories
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In that classroom, learning about the great artists and their masterpieces, I was captivated by how these works expressed something timeless, leaving a mark that outlived their creators. Inspired, I bought a beginner’s art set from Walmart, and that simple act sparked a journey. From the moment I first held a brush, I felt that the meditative process of painting was something I’d carry with me for life. Since then, I’ve painted countless works—far more than what’s featured here—and I continue to create every day.
Over the years, I’ve come to see painting as just one form of creating. I believe the creative impulse is universal, the same energy that fuels musicians, woodworkers, architects, sculptors, designers, and entrepreneurs. Creativity is a gift—a way to bring something new into the world—and it transcends any one medium. For me, painting is one way to tap into that gift, and I thank God for it every time I pick up a brush.
As a self-taught artist, my journey has been driven by curiosity rather than formal training. My style and techniques are always evolving, guided by a need to explore and learn. Each piece marks a step in that journey—sometimes surprising, sometimes challenging, and sometimes just plain awful, but always personal. Early on, I questioned whether my lack of training made me “less” of an artist, but I’ve come to see that art is about expressing something genuine, not about meeting anyone’s standards. My work is simply my response to the world, something I feel compelled to create, whether or not anyone’s watching.
I’m inspired by the quiet, unfiltered ways that people and nature tell their stories—the small details, colors, and patterns that often go unnoticed but carry deep meaning. Recently, I’ve started pairing my paintings with poetry, adding another layer to each piece and inviting others to see things from a fresh perspective.
My goal isn’t to follow anyone else’s expectations of my art; it’s to create works that resonate with me in the hope of making something others might connect with in their own way. If my work can inspire even a moment of reflection, then it has done its job.
