Biography
Robert Lemay’s row by row construction of a realist image is meant to reveal the abstraction of the paint handling, the history of the technique, and to connect these with a contemporary digital environment. hi is interested in the layers of transformations – from the transformation of the model, to the photoshopped image, which then becomes a ubiquitous image seen in grocery store aisles and on coffee tables. Unlike the mass produced glossy magazine cover, paint is a kind of skin, a unique surface.
In his series, “Grid,” Robert Lemay paints square by square, row by row. The painting may appear digitized but is meticulously hand painted. He has always used the grid to scale up in his photos but leaving traces of the process creates a tension between the image and the squares of tone and colour which are reassembled by the eye.
The use of ‘found’ imagery echoes Warhol’s use of tabloid photographs of Liz, Marilyn and Elvis and also the early paintings of Gerhard Richter who also employed the strategy of using newspaper images as his source material.
All Artworks

Red Roses Study
16" x 16"
Oil on Canvas

Peony Study
16" x 16"
Oil on Canvas

Magenta Peony
36" x 36"
Oil on canvas

Campo de Fiori
40" x 60"
Oil on canvas

Garden Roses
40" x 60"
Oil on canvas

Peony Bouquet
40" x 60"
Oil on canvas

Ranunculus Peonies and Roses
30" x 30"
Oil on Canvas

Peony study
30" x 30"
Oil on Canvas

Peonies
37" x 48"
Oil on Canvas

Mystery Woman 1
30" x 24"
Oil on Canvas

Alexa
30" x 30"
Oil on Canvas

Cafe Reflections
30" x 30"
Oil on Canvas

Lilies and Chinese Vases
40" x 48"
Oil on Canvas

Grapes in a Red Glass Bowl
32" x 48"
Oil on Canvas

Nest I
8" x 10"
Oil on Canvas

Two Yellow Roses
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

Tulips in Silver Cup
12" x 9"
Oil on Canvas

Two Red Roses
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

Petunias
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas
