In Memory…
About Bob
I’ve always had an interest in drawing and painting. In high school, my work was chosen to be displayed at a national art show in Washington, DC. This recognition gave me the confidence to pursue my studies at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan.
My first apprenticeship was at a large commercial art studio in Detroit and it launched me into a career representing artists and photographers in the graphic advertising world.
In my early 20’s, I got married and had three children. At 29, I decided I wanted to run my own business and founded EKO, a commercial photographic studio along with two partners. We enjoyed 15 successful years working for multinational companies such as Rubbermaid, Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Eastman Kodak and Mr. Goodwrench. I then opened Bob Osborne & Associates, Inc. where I continued representing several commercial photographers for the next four years.
When my wife Nancy passed in 1979, I decided to slow down and enjoy life while I continued raising three teenage children. I purchased a sailboat that stirred up my spirit for new adventures to sail the Great Lakes and Canada.
Seven years later, my girlfriend Gretchen (now my wife) and I decided to leave the hustle and pressure of the Detroit advertising world and sail off into the sunset on our sailboat Wild Wing. This journey turned into a five-year, five thousand-mile sabbatical exploring the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. We lived on an Island in Belize for a year, explored the Mayan Ruins in Guatemala and Mexico, and explored the jungle lowlands, mountains and stunning waterfalls of Guatemala.
Our next landfall was Fort Myers Beach, FL where we re-provisioned our boat and headed off to the Bahamas. But, when we reached Key West we had boat trouble and repairs were slow. We enjoyed Key West and the boating community so much we ended up staying. Inspired by the beautiful scenery of the Florida Keys, I started drawing and painting again. I chose watercolors as the medium to help me capture the majestic colors of the local tropical fish and sea birds.
My work was well received and it inspired me to reinvigorate an artistic calling that had been pushed aside while raising a family and managing a career. My work was displayed in several galleries in Key West and South Florida. We eventually moved off the boat and became land lovers again. After 10 years in Key West, we sold Wild Wing and moved to Amelia Island, FL while spending our summers in northern Michigan.
We’ve spent the last 28 years traveling around the United States selling my work in distinguished juried art shows and galleries where I have been fortunate to have received numerous awards and ribbons for my original paintings. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love, see the country and meet so many interesting people along the way,
Art is a wonderful form of self-expression. I feel fortunate to have had a second career doing what I love.
