It’s Art to Believe
Renowned Gallery & Portrait Artist – Robert Maniscalco
313-689-2993
commission portrait artist
Robert’s Commission Portrait Portfolio, by Subject.
Men
Women
Children
Judicial Portraits
Pastel and Charcoal
Families and Groups
Pets and Animals
Other Custom Art
About the Artist
Robert Maniscalco is a nationally renowned, Charleston-based multidisciplinary creative. He’s a commission portrait painter, fine gallery artist,,courtroom and quick sketch artist and teacher. You don’t need a degree in fine art to surround yourself with beautiful, meaningful and authentic works of art.
Robert’s a best selling author who is a recognized arts authority, with extensive media coverage, available to make your next arts event stand out.
“I believe artists are our conscience, the teachers of society. So, I have made it my mission to share this very human journey through painting, writing, theatre, music and teaching.” rm
Robert Maniscalco In The Media
Online Gallery
Favorite Subjects
Landscape
Still Life
Narrative
Spiritual (The Quench Project)
Portraiture (Non-Commission)
Fantasy (NETI)
LEARN FROM A MASTER
Put Robert Maniscalco’s 45+ years of experience to work for you. Robert’s focus is on method and process, not technical tricks, although he has plenty of those to share, as well! Based on the Frank Reilly Method, Robert has adapted this amazing painting system to the needs of the modern realist. Learn the secrets of value-based, “light on form” painting methods to create expressive, colorful, accurate professional level portraits and fine art. There are a number of ways to study with Robert, online coaching, private instruction. regular weekly small group classes and occasional two and three day portrait painting workshops.
Robert has produced numerous books and DVDs to aid students at every level to make the transition all the way to professional artist. His latest Amazon Best Selling book, The Power of Positive Painting, has received great reviews. In addition, he has created lots of free or inexpensive instructional content, available here.
Testimonials
Absolutely Dug His Style
I met Rob Maniscalco first when his paintings were featured at a local gallery in West Ashley and absolutely dug his style. At the same time both realistic and surreal in a way I cannot quite beg, his paintings breathe life that isn’t exactly life. Like the impressionistic ghost of an image with colors more popping than the eye perceives, that’s his art. On top of that, he’s involved with some really cool projects and is all around a great guy. Whenever I see him, he’s been incredibly kind and funny and a bit goofy. He supports arts in Charleston 100%, so I find that very cool. He’s interested not only with sharing his work but uplifting the artistic visions/voices of others. I dig that. That being said, my favorite work is his portraits. Something he captures in the human expression speaks to me.
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"Identity and Self"
Opening Reception and Exhibition at
Park Circle Art Gallery
4820 Jenkins Ave.
North Charleston, SC 29405
The Exhibition runs through April 26
Gallery Hours: W-F 10:30-5:30, Sat 12-4
The collection will center on how identity interferes with our true self, our true freedom, which is a central value for an artist, as well as any self-actualized individual. For instance, when I draw my idea of a thing, rather than opening myself up to the full potential contained in the thing itself, I am limiting my creative potential.
So, who are we at our core, after we strip away the names we call ourselves, the parties with whom we affiliate, the causes for which we are fighting? After all, these are all inventions of the ego, which separate us from God and the infinite. Existence consists of light on form. Light is my medium as an artist. I am a painter of the self. I am looking always for something deeper than the surface representations in my subjects. It is the true self I am looking for when I paint, whether it is an orange, a sky or a judge. ... See MoreSee Less
“The Fantasy” oil on canvas 36" x 48", invites you into that lucid dream space where imagination feels more vivid than reality. In this oil painting, a solitary figure drifts through a dreamlike landscape of softened edges and impossible light. But the story is not fixed—you’re handed a doorway.
This piece lives in the uncertainty between escape and awakening. At first glance, it feels like a beautiful dream: rich color, fluid forms, and a sense of effortless drift. But stay with it, and you begin to notice the undercurrent—a quiet question about what we run toward, and what we’re trying to leave behind.
For the thoughtful collector, “The Fantasy” becomes a mirror for their own inner world. It speaks to anyone who has ever built a private refuge in their mind: the daydreamer, the creative, the survivor, the seeker who knows that fantasies can be both sanctuary and trap. The painting doesn’t judge that impulse; it honors it, and gently asks what new possibilities might emerge when we begin to bring those inner visions into the light of our real lives.
Hung in a living room, bedroom, or reading space, “The Fantasy” doesn’t just decorate a wall—it opens a conversation. With its layered symbolism and emotional depth, it’s the kind of work people return to, again and again, discovering new details and meanings as their own story evolves. ... See MoreSee Less
"Three Little Buds" is a framed #oilpainting looking for a new home. “Three Little Buds” captures a tender moment of becoming: three rosebuds held in that brief, luminous stage before they open. The dew on their petals hints at fresh beginnings and quiet resilience after the rain. This piece speaks to anyone who feels on the edge of a new chapter—honoring both the vulnerability and the promise of what is about to bloom.
“Three Little Buds" is about beginnings and the quiet power of what hasn’t fully unfolded yet. I painted them at that in-between moment—still closed, but clearly full of life and color, with the dew clinging to them after a fresh start.
For me, the three buds might suggest three children / three important relationships / three versions of ourselves at different times, held together in the same space of light and nurtured by potential energy. The droplets are a reminder that renewal often comes right after the storm; there’s a softness and resilience there.
It’s a painting for someone who connects with the idea of growth, protection, and the beauty of what’s just about to bloom or has bloomed in their own life. ... See MoreSee Less
Here's the entire portrait. I love judicial portraits. What do you think of this portrait? Know anyone who wants a portrait legacy created? A portrait is how people know us when we're gone. ... See MoreSee Less