Robert Corsair has had a colorful history of traveling the world.  In 1972 he settled in Hawai’i and opened up a unique bookstore in Kailua Kona called Middle Earth.  He is fond of 20th century art, French literature, jazz and culinary experiences that lure him to his annual visits to Paris.  In his most recent years, Corsair has dedicated himself to printmaking and has produced an extensive body of woodcut prints at the Donkey Mill Art Center's Print Studio, under the guidance of Hiroki Morinoue where he began.  For the past three years he attended the Atalier Bo Halbrik in Paris working on a series of etchings.  For six years he has been a dedicated printmaker and his works can be found in both private and public collections such as The West Hawai’i Community Health Center, where their goal is to bring art to assist in healing their patience and staff.  Corsair's prints capture the playful freedom of cubism, papier colle and abstract expressionism. 

Please view our online shop to view more of his prints.

Artist Statement

I am a problem solver, often finding myself at a point apparently without exit. From there to succeed I must work at finding an entry. It is always a personal story and all of my work should be called the 'self-portrait'. I make images painting printing monotypes etc to ‘stay alive’ to express to myself and create the sense of being alive. C’est tout! 

Where does it come from, this image this thought? I see myself as a conduit for impressions of this life on earth. There is a where in my work, there is a what in my work, so from time to time I make the image I see of myself appear in landscape, still life and occasionally a self-portrait. 

Sometimes playfully I avoid any imagery, obscuring the where, what and who so as to be present, ‘To be alive’. 

Studio work for me is everything. I start, stop, destroy and restart the process many times. For me, it is difficult to begin. I have had no art school training.  This is why I search out a new location to work.