Robert Bentley was born in Canada in 1975 in Saint John New Brunswick where he spent his childhood until age 12. In his earliest years, he was aware his father left the house for work but that was an abstraction compared to the time his father spent in his workshop painting or carving. As soon Robert showed interest in visual expression, he was given the tools and resources for further exploration.

 

Emphasizing the importance of learning how to draw the human figure, Robert's first art books were George Bridgeman's guide to drawing from life, various anatomy books, and examples of the work of the Old Masters. From as early as 5 years old, he began to copy from these and observe his father among the smells of oil paint, turpentine, and wood.

 

His self-education continued through elementary school, and after moving to Nova Scotia, through Junior High and High school. Needing to go to Europe to explore and expand his education, he moved to England to work and study in 1995.

 

After continuing his auto-didactic approach for a few years, he applied to and got accepted at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London where he studied briefly.

 

He has exhibited his work in Nova Scotia, England, Greece, and Ontario.

 

Most of his work involves some form of figurative analysis, informed or inspired by his voracious reading of many other subjects (Theoretical physics, Psychology, Mathematics, Biology, Linguistics, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Chess, Go etc.).