Bob Timberlake (artist)
Encyclopedia
Bob Timberlake is an internationally-acclaimed realist
artist known primary for his watercolor paintings as well as for designing and licensing lines of home furnishings, clothing and various other products. He began his career as an artist in 1970 and began his home furnishings line in 1990. He founded Linwood Furniture, LLC in 2006. . In the fall of 2004, the Manor House Estate House at the Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock
was renamed the Bob Timberlake Inn at Chetola Resort due to his status the most successful living artist in North Carolina. His primary studio was created from a historic barn built in 1809 and moved to its current location in 1986.
on January 22, 1937 and raised in Lexington, North Carolina
, Timberlake always enjoyed painting, although he didn't begin his professional career until 1970, when he was 33 years old. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Industrial Relations in 1959 from the University of North Carolina
. He married in 1957 and has three children and seven grandchildren.
Bob Timberlake wrote his autobiography Partial to Home - A Memoir of the Heart, with fellow North Carolinian Jerry Bledsoe
in 2000. In it he reveals that he was a self-taught artist influenced and mentored by Andrew Wyeth
.. Timberlake came home one night when he was 28, and upon reading an article and viewing photographs of Wyeth's work in Life magazine
, was "moved to tears" and was convinced that he too was destined to become a painter. He began his career shortly thereafter.
His artwork has made the cover of several magazines, including the Cabarrus Living Magazine, and have been displayed in numerous galleries internationally.
collection in industry history. The Bob Timberlake brand includes a range of furniture styles, including Eighteenth century, Arts and Crafts, and English
and Irish cottage.
, including a 15 cent stamp titled Wreath and Toys issued on Oct. 31, 1980, which was based on antique toys in artist Bob Timberlake’s collection. (Scott catalogue
number 1843), as well as the 1988 North Carolina Statehood stamp, and 1989 South Carolina Statehood stamp.
. The other is located at 946 Main Street in Blowing Rock, North Carolina
. The galleries offer original and signed lithographed artwork by Timberlake, as well as home furnishings and other items created or designed by him and licensed by various manufacturers.
was a sold-out show in May 1970 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
.
In 1973, he held the first of seven one-person exhibits at Hammer Galleries http://www.hammergalleries.com in New York City. The first show was sold
out before it opened, the first time this had ever happened for this well established gallery.
Along with Norman Rockwell
, he exibited at the Artists of America show in 1974, at the Franklin Center in Philadelphia and in New Jersey.
In 1998, Timberlake painted "White House Cristmas" for the exhibition "White House Impressions: The President's House Through the Eye of the Artist." He was one of only 14 artists chosen to depict the White House
for the exhibition sponsored by the White House Historical Association
. It has been exhibited in the White House and in several presidential libraries
.
In 2007, in celebration of his 70th birthday, the Bob Timberlake Gallery featured an exhibit of 70 pieces spanning his career.
Realism (visual arts)
Realism in the visual arts is a style that depicts the actuality of what the eyes can see. The term is used in different senses in art history; it may mean the same as illusionism, the representation of subjects with visual mimesis or verisimilitude, or may mean an emphasis on the actuality of...
artist known primary for his watercolor paintings as well as for designing and licensing lines of home furnishings, clothing and various other products. He began his career as an artist in 1970 and began his home furnishings line in 1990. He founded Linwood Furniture, LLC in 2006. . In the fall of 2004, the Manor House Estate House at the Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
was renamed the Bob Timberlake Inn at Chetola Resort due to his status the most successful living artist in North Carolina. His primary studio was created from a historic barn built in 1809 and moved to its current location in 1986.
Background
Born in Salisbury, North CarolinaSalisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
on January 22, 1937 and raised in Lexington, North Carolina
Lexington, North Carolina
Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 19,953. It is located in central North Carolina, twenty miles south of Winston-Salem. Major highways include I-85, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 70, U.S. Route 52 ...
, Timberlake always enjoyed painting, although he didn't begin his professional career until 1970, when he was 33 years old. He received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Industrial Relations in 1959 from the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
. He married in 1957 and has three children and seven grandchildren.
Bob Timberlake wrote his autobiography Partial to Home - A Memoir of the Heart, with fellow North Carolinian Jerry Bledsoe
Jerry Bledsoe
Jerry Bledsoe is an American author and journalist known for several true crime titles based on murders in his native state of North Carolina....
in 2000. In it he reveals that he was a self-taught artist influenced and mentored by Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
.. Timberlake came home one night when he was 28, and upon reading an article and viewing photographs of Wyeth's work in Life magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, was "moved to tears" and was convinced that he too was destined to become a painter. He began his career shortly thereafter.
His artwork has made the cover of several magazines, including the Cabarrus Living Magazine, and have been displayed in numerous galleries internationally.
Furnishings
Timberlake partnered with Lexington Furniture (later renamed to Lexington Home Brands) to create The World of Bob Timberlake, which became the best-selling furniturecollection in industry history. The Bob Timberlake brand includes a range of furniture styles, including Eighteenth century, Arts and Crafts, and English
and Irish cottage.
Postage Stamps
Bob has designed four different postage stamps for the United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, including a 15 cent stamp titled Wreath and Toys issued on Oct. 31, 1980, which was based on antique toys in artist Bob Timberlake’s collection. (Scott catalogue
Scott catalogue
The Scott catalogue of postage stamps, published by Scott Publishing Co, a subsidiary of Amos Press, is updated annually and lists all the stamps of the entire world which its editors recognize as issued for postal purposes. It is published in six large volumes and is also produced in...
number 1843), as well as the 1988 North Carolina Statehood stamp, and 1989 South Carolina Statehood stamp.
The Bob Timberlake Gallery
There are two Timberlake galleries, including one located in at 1714 East Center Street Extension in Lexington, North CarolinaLexington, North Carolina
Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 19,953. It is located in central North Carolina, twenty miles south of Winston-Salem. Major highways include I-85, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 70, U.S. Route 52 ...
. The other is located at 946 Main Street in Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
. The galleries offer original and signed lithographed artwork by Timberlake, as well as home furnishings and other items created or designed by him and licensed by various manufacturers.
Exhibitions
His first art exhibitionArt exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
was a sold-out show in May 1970 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
.
In 1973, he held the first of seven one-person exhibits at Hammer Galleries http://www.hammergalleries.com in New York City. The first show was sold
out before it opened, the first time this had ever happened for this well established gallery.
Along with Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
, he exibited at the Artists of America show in 1974, at the Franklin Center in Philadelphia and in New Jersey.
In 1998, Timberlake painted "White House Cristmas" for the exhibition "White House Impressions: The President's House Through the Eye of the Artist." He was one of only 14 artists chosen to depict the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
for the exhibition sponsored by the White House Historical Association
White House Historical Association
The White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 through efforts of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy is a private, non-profit organization with a mission to enhance the public's understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the...
. It has been exhibited in the White House and in several presidential libraries
Presidential library
In the United States, the Presidential library system is a nationwide network of 13 libraries administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration...
.
In 2007, in celebration of his 70th birthday, the Bob Timberlake Gallery featured an exhibit of 70 pieces spanning his career.
Awards and honors
- 1978 - He was recognized by then PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy CarterJimmy CarterJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
for his work with Keep America BeautifulKeep America BeautifulKeep America Beautiful is a U.S. based nonprofit organization founded in 1953. It is the largest community improvement organization in the United States, with approximately 589 affiliate organizations and more than 1,000 community organizations that participate in their programs.Keep America...
Three years earlier, he had been named The Official Artist of Keep America Beautiful, lnc. and the official spokesperson for Keep America Beautiful. - 1978 – He received the North Carolina Public Service AwardNorth Carolina AwardThe North Carolina Award is the highest civilian award bestowed by the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is awarded in the four fields of science, literature, the fine arts, and public service....
. - 1979 – He received an Honorary DegreeHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
for Doctor of HumanitiesHumanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
Honoris Causa from High Point UniversityHigh Point UniversityHigh Point University is a private liberal arts university in High Point, North Carolina, USA, affiliated with the United Methodist Church.- Beginnings :...
. - 1981 – Was officially recognized by then current President Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, along with Iron Eyes CodyIron Eyes CodyIron Eyes Cody was an American actor. He frequently portrayed American Indians in Hollywood films. In 1995, Cody was honored by the American Indian community for his work publicizing the plight of Native Americans, including his acting in films...
and the Keep America Beautiful organization during an Oval OfficeOval OfficeThe Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
ceremony. - 1987 – Honored by the North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Cystic Fibrosis FoundationCystic Fibrosis FoundationThe Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a non-profit organization in the United States established to provide the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis . The Foundation provides information about cystic fibrosis and finances CF research that aims to improve the quality of life for people with the...
and the Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Comprehensive Cancer Center for his humanitarian service, which have so far raised over $7.3 million (as of 2009) by the sale of his donated artwork. - 1989 – Received the Albert Schweitzer Prize for HumanitarianismAlbert Schweitzer Prize for HumanitarianismThe Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism is a prize given to people who made exemplary contributions to humanity and the environment. The goal of the prize is to advance the cause of humanitarianism. The prize was established in 1986 by Albert Toepfer, an international grain merchant from...
for Artistry. - 1989 – Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Comprehensive Cancer Center awarded him the Shingleton Award for his support. - 1995 – Was given a distinguished alumni award from the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
at Chapel Hill. - 1998 – Was honored as the North Carolina Press Association’s North Carolinian of the Year in Pinehurst, NCPinehurst, North CarolinaPinehurst is a village in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,706 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the Pinehurst Resort, venue of the 1936 PGA Championship, the 1951 Ryder Cup. The host site for the 1999, 2005,& 2014 U.S. Open Golf Championships, the 2008 U.S....
. - 2002 – Received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Methodist College, Fayetteville, NCFayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
- 2006 – Awarded the Order of the Long Leaf PineOrder of the Long Leaf PineThe Order of the Long Leaf Pine, created in 1965, is an honor that can be granted in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The Longleaf Pine is the official state tree of North Carolina. As of Dec 31, 2006, the Order has been awarded to 6,672 individuals....
, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor.