Background
Robert Baxter was born in Mobile, Alabama. His parents enrolled him in art lessons at age 5, and at age 9 he was china painting roses and dogwoods on plates with nationally known artist Ruth Gamble. Thus began his love of flowers and wildlife. Upon graduation, Robert landed his first job with Record Bar as a multimedia artist doing tour posters, advertisements, and promotions for almost every record company in America. For 11 years he worked on promotions and artwork for such names as Kenny Rogers, Sting, Bon Jovi, Lakeside, Maze, Cameo, Alabama, Eddie Rabbit, Amy Grant, Bonnie Raitt, Anita Baker and many more. Along the way he won such prestigious awards as two NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) awards for the Grammys and three NARM awards for the Country Music Association, better known as the CMAs. All of this led to many publications in Billboard, Rolling Stone, Cashbox and others. Robert then worked for Denny Manufacturing, the largest hand painted background company in the world. As a senior artist, he painted backgrounds for the Canadian National Baseball theme park, CBS Christmas Special with Reba McEntire, CBS American US Tennis Tournament and Olan Mills, along with other national companies. It wasn't long before Robert started his own background company and traveled the country painting the same level of art with Baxter Backgrounds. In 1994 he was signed to his first one-man show at Sutton Fine Arts Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana featuring his paintings of Hawaii. Next he worked for Masset & Company, then with Blaine Kern's painting many of the floats that the world has come to know and see roll the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana at Mardi Gras. In 2001 he worked with mural artist Robert Dafford, painting large murals all across the country. In (2004) he has painted and shown a one-man show at the Bernard-Bertrand House in Rayne for their Arti Gras exhibit, a one-man show at Garden View in New Iberia,Louisiana, and was the guest artist at the New Orleans, Louisiana Jazz and Heritage Festival for the third year in a row for Bayou Bandanas. He is currently showing in Lafayette, Louisiana at Cite des Arts, Guama's, Rain and Artmosphere. During the 2005 November ArtWalk in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, Robert also painted at Cite des Arts live while answering questions from the audience. In 2005, he started a two year position for the Gueydan Museum as projects director and produced many shows, such as Swamp Spirits 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Robert took the position as projects director for the Kaplan Museum and worked on promotions to have a 2008 year of music in the city of Kaplan in conjunction with a Smithsonian Institute show entitled "New Harmonies".Throughout the last 2 years Robert has also produced 3 album covers for Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins and donated the stage for Cajun Comic Relief to benefit Goodwill Industries. He then accepted a positon on The Vermilion Parish Arts Council and worked close with The Abbeville Museum.
2006 Embarking on a new adventure in order to bring more art to the world in the form of public art murals, Roberet Baxter is now painting murals on RVs. His first example of this is painted on a Heartland fifth wheel named the Luv Shak. This landed him on the cover of RV LIFE Magazine along with many other publications. Realizing the impact just one piece of art could do for the roads and life of Rv’ers, the concept of bringing personalized art murals by Robert Baxter was born. The Luv Shak was featured at the RV campers show in Lafayette, Louisiana at Cajun Field and continues to stop traffic throughout The US and Canada. Robert Baxter was present at the show and now looks forward to meeting the public and talking about his newest adventure for years to come. 2006 Robert begain a series of paintings about butterflies finding them as an inspiration after Hurricane's Katrina and Rita.He then started a wonderfull relationship by becoming a member of the Crowley Arts Association and won top honoers for art at the 2006 Rice Festival.He is currently chairing the Display Committe for The CAA and also received The 2007 High Achievers Award. 2008 Has lead to many new events already such as a series of paintings call "Paths of The Smokies" and "Waterfalls of Arkansa". Robert Baxter also spoke on his career and involment in the music industry at The Jeanerette Museum on March 25th 2008 at 6:00 P.M. ,in Support of The Smithsonian Institute's Show intitled New Harmonies. A show about Root Music in America. February 2008 he created a One Man Show at The Coubtry Club in New Orleans for Mardi Gras and also worked with the CAA at Career Day for the Acadia Parrish School Board promoting art careers and painted with 121 children, Producing a large canvas that was then donated to the Parrish School Board March 2008 Meeting. Baxter won 1st Place Landscapes at The Capital Juried Arts Competition 2008. He then produced another One Man Show intitled Butterfies of Hope at the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center that opened in April and will run untill the end of August. He donated a large Butterfly painting to the Teen Court Groupe to raze money for troubled teens and the painting can be viewed at the Opelousas center. At the May 27th Opelousas City Council Meeting , Robert donated a Large Mural styled painting of the inside view of the Venus House to the city for the Visitors Center. June 2008 Robert accepted the position as secretary on the Board of Directors of The Crowley Arts Association and is currently teaching adult classes on composition plus a week long childrens class in July.
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