ROCKINGHAM — Local artist Rob McCullough taught his unique style of painting at Arts Richmond this month in the organization’s downtown studio.
Walking among his seven students, McCullough gave quick feedback and tips as they painted their own version of his painting that was projected on a screen.
His technique: place paint on the canvas and use various objects and tools to create unique shapes and textures. As he taught, he excitedly bounced between his pupils as they discovered shapes and variations of textures of their own.
McCullough, a native of Hamlet, began experimenting with painting in 2018. His style of painting usually falls into the impressionist or abstract categories but his work has been known to veer off into landscapes and cityscapes that evoke the likes of Bob Ross and or Steve Ditko.
From Hair to Canvas
Though his painting career started in 2018, McCullough is no stranger to the art world. He is a longtime hair stylist and carpenter with a backyard studio. During his occasional home art shows, a request to see certain paintings will grant you a ticket to see his workshops where he practices these arts.
McCullough has held a license in hair styling for nearly half a century and during that time has owned several salons and taught hair design across Europe for the Wella Corporation. He also competed internationally in hair styling events before co-owning a design team that trained other stylists to compete in these competitions. According to his biography, McCullough’s hair styling classes have been shown on CNN and local Korean broadcast channels.
While practicing as a hairstylist, McCullough found that he had a gift for color theory but he did not immediately translate that skill to the canvas. That happened after he developed a hand tremor that made it difficult for him to cut and style hair.
It was only after finding a set of canvases and brushes when cleaning up his mothers house that he began thinking about painting. McCullough began painting and according to the artist, he hasn’t stopped since. Fortunately, the source of his hand tremor was determined and has now stopped after treatment.
A Traveling Show
McCullough frequently takes his art throughout the region to sell his works at various festivals and art events. He has become a frequent both at Hamlet’s Seaboard Festival and Rockingham’s Affair on the Square events.
McCullough plans to hold further classes and art demonstrations at Arts Richmond in the months to come including a demonstration during the next Affair on the Square.
