Courtesy photo Robert Onkst plays a guitar in front of one of his paintings. Onkst often takes his guitar in and plays while he’s at work at the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home.
Music and art have always played a role in Robert Onkst’s life, so much so that the Hollidaysburg native has a hard time separating the two.
He probably enjoyed music before he discovered a passion for art, though, he said, because his father always had tunes playing on the radio.
He grew up to love the music his dad liked, as well as many other styles.
In fact, one of his earliest memories was as a 5-year-old singing on a barstool at the local American Legion. He was there with his father and sang three or four songs, ending with “Jesus Loves Me.”
Onkst’s mother told him he came home with a pocket full of money and rubber animals.
“I got a reward for singing at an early age, so I always enjoyed music,” he said.
Onkst enjoyed art up until high school and even did it on his own, though he was not a fan of the art teacher.
He moved on to Penn State University for an architecture degree but switched to art education after soon realizing it was not for him.
“Art is something I have been doing the whole time,” Onkst said.
After graduating in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree, he went on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania for a master’s degree in special education and graduated in 1996.
Onkst taught art to special needs children and then taught students with multiple disabilities in York.
He came back home to be a learning support instructor at Keith Junior High School in Altoona until he moved to Hollidaysburg Area Senior High for the same job.
Onkst became the high school art teacher before moving onto his role as an activity coordinator at Hollidaysburg Veterans Home.
His job involves planning and carrying out activities for the residents, which allows him to use both his passions of art and music.
Onkst often takes his guitar in and plays while he’s at work or goes in on off days for hired entertainment.
Typically it is easier to get the residents more involved with music than art, he said.
While there are several that like to do art, for most, it is not something they grew up doing or would even consider trying.
“Music, when you gather people together whether they have Alzheimer’s or dementia, it brings them back to 50 to 60 years ago if you know the right stuff to play,” Onkst said. “That is very therapeutic and fun for everyone.”
His art exhibit, the “Narrow Path,” featuring many of his paintings, just wrapped up at the Community Arts Center Cambria County in Johnstown.
His wife, Stephanie, said they had about 80 paintings that were transported to the gallery.
“The truck was so full no one else could have fit in it,” Stephanie said.
Painting was something he loved more than any other art form after taking classes in college.
Subjects such as musicians, blues players, musical instruments, local landscapes and flowers appear in his work, often in a style that ranges from impressionistic to expressive realism.
He uses bright colors and complementary colors to convey mood and expression.
“It’s like an orchestrated expression,” Onkst said.
Van Gogh is someone he studied and whose style he still loves today.
The influence can be seen in Onkst’s work through the thick flowers and landscapes painted very thickly with a palette knife.
He recently did a whole series of finger paintings.
“I had just globs of paint and I smeared it on the canvas to make giant landscapes,” Onkst said.
As a musician, he is also in a band with his wife, called Stephanie and the Wild Hearts, a five-piece country rock band playing original and covers of songs all over the area.
“Art and music are intertwined so heavily for me, I know a lot of great artists that can’t play or sing, but they love music,” Onkst said.
Stephanie said the band is a big part of their lives and she is glad they have the opportunity to play together.
“We have been to some really neat places and met some cool people and had some awesome experiences,” she said.
He has two sons, Abraham, 21, and Luke, 17, and a daughter, Bobbi Mae, 7.
Abraham is an abstract artist and sells his work all over the country.
“He has a different style than his dad, but obviously where does he get that?” Stephanie said.
Abraham said having access to all the materials and having support early on was important in him growing as an artist.
“My father is always inspiring to me with a lot of art and music always in the house,” he said. “It made me more well-rounded and it opened up my world more.”
Abraham was able to see his father’s show in Johnstown and thought it was vibrant and diverse.
Luke never got into art, which Onkst thinks is because he wanted to do something different than his father and brother.
“He’s my football player, wrestler, muscle guy,” he said. “I think he wanted something different to make his own identity.”
Bobbi Mae has also started developing an interest in music and art.
“It is awesome that it is something we can all share and do as a family,” Stephanie said.
Onkst said his wife is also great with computers, crafting, organizing events and designing.
“We don’t all have to be painters,” he said.
She is happy to see her husband get back into showing his artwork because it has been a while since he has had a show.
Onkst also used to exhibit his work at an art gallery owned by fellow artist and friend of 20 years Scott Steberger of Lilly.
“I like how Onkst was always able to put together a good painting and it is interesting to see how his work has evolved over the years,” Steberger said.
Steberger has watched his friend’s work expand to many different subjects and styles over the years.
“You can see his life through the paintings and he puts good texture in his work,” he said.
Mirror Staff Writer Cati Keith is at 814-946-7535.
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