Scott Switzer painting outdoors with his three young sons, 1994
Scott Switzer with his sons at the easelMontana · 1994Robby, far right.
The Artist

Born into a family of painters in Montana.

His father, Scott Switzer, and his older brother, Francis, are both professional oil painters. His grandfather, Nels Olson, taught art in Billings. Drawing and painting were simply part of the house Robby Switzer grew up in.

Robby Switzer at work

Before turning fully to oil, he spent years behind a camera.

Photography and videography trained his eye for composition, light, and atmosphere. That training still shapes how he builds a painting.

The Process

Whenever possible, he works wet-on-wet, alla prima, often attempting to finish a painting in one session.

Robby Switzer painting late at night in the garage
Painting in the garage, late at nightBefore the studioFor years the work got made after the kids went to bed.

Very few truly are, but the pursuit forces attention to what matters: value, color, shape, and composition. The habit comes from the old on-location painters who worked quickly and decisively from life, and it is what keeps the work fresh.

Among the Lupine, a 48 by 48 inch oil painting, hung in a collector's home

Rooted in Montana and settled on Kachemak Bay, the paintings are after more than the outward form of a place: the feeling, movement, and spirit behind it.

“Among the Lupine” at a collector’s house

The Switzer family in Homer, Alaska

He lives in Homer, Alaska, with his wife and five children, and teaches the occasional workshop.

The Studio View available originals

Questions about a painting, shipping, or studio visits are welcome.