Artist Bio
Rod’s interest in art dates back to his 1960’s grade school days when he created pencil-on-paper drawings of “The Beatles” performing. Later -- in 7th-grade art class -- in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania city schools -- his art teacher admired his simple tempera paint work titled “City of Bridges” … Pittsburgh, with its three rivers, being that city of bridges.
“Delayed” by a 30-year career with the federal government Rod finally resumed his career as an “artist.” He has been working in the medium of oil on canvas for a number of years with subject matter focusing mostly on landscapes, an interest in landscapes being undoubtedly linked to his college degree in geography … as well as an interest in hiking and the outdoors in general.
As a member of the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA), Rod has had four of his works of art selected for exhibit in five different MFA-sponsored juried shows over a period of two years. In one of those shows -- “Off the Wall: Sculptural Forms,” a group show at Waverly Street Gallery in Bethesda, Maryland -- one of his works won a “Juror’s Choice” award. Decidedly unconventional compared to most of his earlier works, this particular artwork was actually cited in a Washington Post newspaper art gallery review of the show, with the reviewer commenting that “found objects and raw-looking metal are common…. Yet there are some gentler or more whimsical pieces, such as Rodney Kyle Mayer’s “Elbow Room,” a miniature tower of dry pasta.” The work features elbow macaroni and spaghetti, along with other pasta.