Robert Sherer grew up in a classic American family during the 1960s and 70s. His father was in the aircraft/aerospace industry and his mother was frequently ‘Homemaker of the Year’. Because his youth most closely resembles the illustrations of camping and scouting books of the era, Sherer derives his autobiographical artworks from such visual resources.

The artist works with camp craft materials to imbue his kitsch/nostalgic artworks with an air of authenticity. All of the visual elements must be worked out on paper before approaching the sheet of wood veneer because erasure is impossible with pyrographic art. When the drawing is mastered, the artist transfers the linear information onto the veneer and then burns it into the wood with the electric wood-burning tool. The image is then colorized with shellacs and wood stains.

In his wholesome, outdoorsy world, Sherer attempts to unearth from memory those pivotal moments when the social construct of male disunion is overcome by the natural love of men for men. The artist hopes that these artworks will help others to reconnect with the springtime of life.