Bob Byerley is one of the foremost painters of
children today. Considered a modern day
Norman Rockwell, Bob's nostalgic "Trompe l'Oeil"
fool the eye realism oil paintings evoke a feeling
of a kinder and gentler age in which he grew up.

Bob Byerley's classical ultra realistic
interpretations of the everyday experiences of
the child, awakens in the viewer, long forgotten
memories. The art combines precise academic
painting techniques of the Old Dutch Masters
with the heart and soul of Norman Rockwell.

Byerley's children are real, not fabricated or
cutsie. In his paintings, imagination abounds.
His children interact naturally with fairies, elves
and surrealistic imaginary animals. He paints
children doing things rather than viewing
things; his kids are alive with vitality and
mischief. We invite you to come along and
visit the Neighborhood and enjoy some of the
finest art work in realism being done today.

Bob spent his entire childhood in Kansas City,
Missouri. He was an only child. His mother was
a piano teacher and began teaching Bob to
play at the age of five: When he was six years
old he performed his first one man concert.
Throughout his childhood, he continued his
musical education. He also showed a strong
interest in drawing. His musical endeavors
were enthusiastically encouraged, his drawing
interests, not.

After high school, Bob decided to enter
college, not as a music major, but as a
pre-med student. He attended the University
of Missouri at Columbia and in his junior year
he was required to take three credit hours of
fine arts for his pre med degree. He signed
up for a three hour “Introduction to Art” class
and when he walked into the art building,
saw the paintings, and smelled the
turpentine, he knew he was home. He loved
the art and after one semester, made the
hardest phone call to his parents that he
had ever had to make; “Mom, Dad, I've
decided not to be a doctor, I'm going to
be an artist! Silence----------”.

Bob went on to receive his Bachelors and
his Masters Degree in Art from University of
Missouri at Columbia. After graduating he
taught painting and drawing at the University
and also at Missouri Western College in
St. Joseph, Missouri.

At the age of thirty, Bob quit teaching and
began painting full time. His primary focus,
for many years was still-life; still-lives rendered in
a very detailed, fool-the-eye realistic style. In
the late 1980's he began to paint children as
the center of interest in his work and in that
particular genre, he found success. Bob is now
internationally known for his realistic portrayals
of children in nostalgic settings; settings that
reflect his own “kinder and gentler” childhood.

He and his wife Alice, have four grown
children and two grandchildren. Alice is their
business manager and a very fine painter in her
own right. They now live in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Bob's work is represented in many fine collections
and his work can be seen in thousands of
galleries throughout the world.