Tell me about yourself, where you live and your background/lifestyle.
I was born in Cullman, Alabama (located between Birmingham and Huntsville; population 15,000) in 1951. Ever since I can remember, my Father put different cameras (Brownie box, the original Polaroid Land) into my hands and asked me to take family vacation photographs. I received my BA of Architecture Degree with minors in the German Language (I was preparing for a move to Munich, Germany) and Photography from
Auburn University in Alabama.
(IMAGE ONE: "Auburn")
My Father's Family is German and after visiting my Family in Frankfurt and Munich, I decided to move there in the summer of 1975 just after graduating from Auburn. I finished my degree of Diplom Ingenieur Architekt at the Technische Universitaet in 1978 and worked as an architect while exhibiting my photography in the Amerika Hauses(cultural part of the US Embassy in Germany) in Munich, Hannover, Hamburg and Frankfurt.
(IMAGE TWO: "Hannover Train Station")
Also, I became one of the photographers with the photography gallery Ufficio dell Arte in Paris, France. Jean
Claude Lemagny of the Bibliotheque Nationale selected a large body of my work for inclusion in their collection.
I moved to New York City in 1981 and continued working in photography and learned how to use the
alternative printing processes of platinum, palladium and cyanotype
(IMAGE THREE: "Kate and Megan")
(IMAGE FOUR:"Electro Licht Kraft").
During this time there were exhibits at the Max Protech Gallery, Puchong Gallery and Donnell Library in Manhattan as well as Amsterdam, Holland; Paris, France; and Berlin, Germany where I had my most recent exhibition at the Aroma Gallery. Titled "Berlin Blue" it consisted of cyanotype prints of Berlin scanned into the computer and printed out onto canvas 30" x 40".
(IMAGE FIVE: "Berlin Amusement Park")
It was a great success and written up in the Belin Photography Magazine "brennpunkt." My work is handled by Agnes Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama; Llack + Tom Gallery in Chicago, Illinois and the Raab Gallery in Berlin, Germany. The Huntsville Museum of Art is in the process of submitting a grant proposal to the Andy Warhol Foundation to underwrite an exhibition of my work "RAS-25: Robert A. Schaefer, Jr.-25 Years of Photography" During Labor Day Weekend this year I made contact with the Barbara Ann Levy Gallery in Cherry Grove on Fire Island (off the coast of Long Island) for an exhibition next year.
Who first influenced you artistically?
My artistic influence were my Uncle and Aunt (my Father's Sister) Henry and Martha Stahmer who were from my hometown, but lived in Chicago, Illinois. Henry was an interior designer and textile artist of the 60's and made very large wall hangings. They gave me books on the Bauhaus and all different directions of painting and sculpture. They introduced me to Henri Matisse who I consider my main artistic influence and to a lesser degree: Fernand Leger
IMAGE SIX "Entranceway, New Orleans, Louisiana)
What first attracted you to the Internet?
The main attraction about the Internet for me was (and still is) the ability to bring my imagery to a larger audience. It was like being stage actor and finally doing something on television.
Does the Internet allow you to show your work as you would like: How could it be improved to suit
you?
Yes, the Internet allows me great flexibility in showing my work. My first on line exhibiton was at the Cylcloid-Fathom Gallery. It can still be seen at: http://www.cycloid-fathom.com/gallery
Just recently Apple, Inc. did a story about my work with can be viewed at:
http://www.apple.com/publishing/design/ras
There is a broad spectrum of fine art photography display possibilities, and I feel I have just begun to tap into this resource. The main problem I have is an Internet provider. I am always having problems getting and sending my e-mail as well as reaching certain addresses on the Internet.