Robert R. Compton was born in 1922 in Pasadena California. He attended Stanford University and studied Geology, receiving his PHD in 1944 after which he became a professor of Geology at Stanford. He created and lead summer field geology courses that were held in California, Nevada, and Utah. He took early retirement from Stanford in 1981 in order to pursue painting full-time

He actively painted until his death in Los Altos California, June, 2015 at the age of 92.

Statement, 2014

My love of the outdoors started during camping trips with my family. My father grew up in the desert and regularly took our family to the Mohave where my interest in Geology began. It was in the desert as well that deep connections and observations led to my love of art. I still hold the memory of my father showing me how to draw one of my toys when I was four.

These paintings are presentations of colorful earth forms. Their uniqueness comes from a good deal of experience. As a professional geologist, I walked tens of thousands of miles in sparsely inhabited parts of the western United States, living mainly by camping out. These years of geologic studies in the desert led to an understanding and feeling for the landscapes; for their remarkable colors, their structures, and for the broad and deep space around them. The paintings are not copies of nature; they are personal constructs.

I have been very interested in formal art since high school, and drawing was a regular part of my geologic work. After taking some paintings classes at the San Francisco Art Institute in the 1960s, with my family grown, and retiring early, in 1981, I was finally able to paint full time. I have completed 90-odd paintings. The earlier paintings were done directly on sight. A few were based on photographs. The majority were concocted from imagination and memory, being composed first as four by six inch drawings.

About the Paintings

There are approximately 90 paintings represented here, most are oil on stretched canvas.
There is a grouping of smaller pieces that are oil on masonite.

These paintings, as well as numerous sketch books, are currently housed in a climate controlled storage
space in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They are under the management of his children. If you have questions
or any interest in this collection of extraordinary, luminous works please contact James Compton at jamie@jamescomptongallery.com