Bio of Robert Hester

Bio

Robert M. Hester is Liquid Ink Studio.

It's not very original to say but, I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. When other kids were outside playing, I would be inside drawing creatures and super heroes. When I was not drawing I read anything and everything. This was not considered normal in Alabama during the 60's and 70's and sadly it is still frowned upon. I kept on drawing through high school and college. To be practical I received a degree in Business Administration along with my Bachelor's Degree in Commercial Art from the University of North Alabama in 1977. While in college, I started a little print shop in my hometown of Russellville, Alabama. I would hang my work in the shop and loved to talk to people about each new piece. Inevitable a preacher would come in to get something printed and I would be on the receiving end of a sermon about the demonic subject matter of my work. I would always kindly explain the subject matter in a fantasy/mythically context, but I could tell I was talking over his head. Needing everyone's business and not wanting to upset anyone, I began to self censor which pieces I would show: turn the other cheek and such. Then I would hear that I was prayed for on Sunday at his church. If this happened only once it would not be worth mentioning, but it was a constant problem. The last time this happened, I looked the young, right out of divinity school preacher in the eye and told him if he saw anything evil in my paintings then he should look in his own heart and pray he found his problem. He began to stutter and make excuses. I felt better and learned a lesson that I should have always known. Stand up to a bully no matter who he is.

During the 80's I showed my paintings at many of the science fiction conventions throughout the South and several World conventions. My work was well received at these shows and I met many of the writers and artists that had influenced me for a lifetime. The printing business entered the computer age during the late 80's and I was kept busy as the years flew by.

In December, 1990, I went on an archeology tour of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras where I met Carol Sharma from New York City. We were married on February 19, 1991. We travel as often as time and money allows and in 1993 opened a printing business in Mexico and for the next 5 years all my artistic energy was funneled into running 2 shops in different counties. We separated from the Mexico shop in 1998. It was a trying experience that I hope to never have to endure again.

After everything settled back to normal I tried to draw and paint but my creative spark seemed to be missing. Then Heather , a college student who works with us, got a tattoo for Christmas and Gary, a high school friend, got a tattoo and would come to the print shop and tell me I should look into the tattoo business. So I bought some tattoo magazines and began to talk to a local tattooist and bam the creative spark came back. All the work on this site has been completed since and I hope to continue working on flash. After spending weekends at a local tattoo shop, I am looking toward the day that I can leave the printing business grind and spend full time bringing my artwork to life for all to see.