Robert Tapley Bustamante (AKA VisualSoul) is a nationally recognized painter, artist, designer, and creative powerhouse. Working primarily in a hyper-flattened illustrative style, Robert likes to (ok, wait this third person voice is silly)… I like to create soul stirring emotional landscapes that are best described as “beautifully disturbing”. Over the past two years I have participated in 50+ shows, yeah thatz 25 shows a year, and a whole bunch more before then. Been painting and kicking azz since 1996.

Really my story is much like anyone else who have struggled to push their vision out into the cold world. Hoping for someone to give a crizznap about the lines spewing from my paintbrush. Emotional energy comes easy for me, so I just do it.

Going forward, I am rebalancing my efforts with an emphasis on process rather than outcome. This will enable me to get my online store up and to focus on getting in more publications. Currently my work can be seen in the traveling Sketchbook Project Library, and soon I will be 1 of 50 artists featured in a book being produced by an LA gallery.

My emotionally intense paintings have been shown in many nationwide galleries and been published & exhibited in Kansas City, Saint Louis, Detroit, Denver, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Brooklyn, NYC, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Even a Brazilian e-magazine found my work intriguing.

Awards / Recognition

• Website featured on CNN.
• Adbusters Project Spotlight Award recipient for self generated creative project.
• Honored for advertising excellence in the 2007 Aster Awards.
• Awarded top honors “Best of Show” for Latino Art Bravisimo 2009 for “Incogneato” painting.
• Was recently published in the Kansas City Star for a local hot Latino show.
• Sold a piece in NYC and awarded a “Featured Artist Award” top 10 best outta 140 artists