SHOP TALK: Rob Schamberger Newsletter 05JAN25

Past the graveyard, voices calling to me.

Jan 05, 2025

Hi. My name's Rob Schamberger. I'm that guy who paints rasslers. And other stuff. My, my I'm running on a wheel and I don't know why.

WORDS

Above is a study I finished yesterday for my next wave of Human Needs paintings. Well, I’m calling it a study now. It was initially intended to be a finished painting but it never quite came together in the way I wanted it to. It was bugging the hell out of me for the last few days that I couldn’t make it work but after stopping work on it I thought to instead view it as a study. Like, it didn’t come together how I wanted but that’s actually useful as long as I look at why, while also observing the parts I’m very happy with. It’s about learning and applying that knowledge to the next attempt.

Also, my first time doing the RS25 signature, so that’s cool.

I’m nearly done with my final Emotion Series painting. Probably another day or two of work left on it, closing out this body of work I started a couple years ago. I’m incredibly proud of these paintings and they’ve pushed me far beyond all of my comfort zones as an artist and a person, but lordy I’ll be glad to not do these anymore. It’s a level of discomfort and vulnerability I’ve never opened myself up to. I’ve learned A LOT by making them, but yeah, they’re tough to do.

I apologize ahead of time for how this finished painting may affect you next week.

Here’s a preview of Thursday’s new Private Party painting.

UPCOMING AEW/PWT PAINTINGS

Private Party - SIGNED
Adam Cole
The Outrunners
Toni Storm
Kenny Omega
Cope
The Hurt Syndicate

Card subject to change.

Rob’s Art on ShopAEW
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Rob and Jason Arnett's novella Rudow Can't Fail!
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Rob’s prints and shirts at Pro Wrestling Tees
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Instagram
Threads
Bluesky
Cara
YouTube

WHAT I LIKED THIS WEEK

We finally signed up for Apple TV+ and naturally my first show to watch is For All Mankind. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s an alternate history show that looks at what would have happened if the Soviet Union had been the first to land on the moon, co-created by Ronald D Moore who was behind the excellent 2004 Battlestar Galactica series. The first season is in the late 60’s into the early 70’s and it’s incredible to see how the differences are minor at first to how thing actually played out and then gradually they become bigger and bigger. I finished the second season yesterday morning, set during the early 80’s where both powers have moon bases and things escalate out of control. Guns are introduced to space and I gotta say, there’s something perverse about seeing astronauts carrying rifles. It’s a striking image but so utterly…wrong.

The latest episode of the podcast Hardcore History dropped Friday afternoon and I was able to listen to it while painting yesterday. It continues a detailed look at the life of Alexander the Great, this time focusing in on his early military conquests along the Danube and the sacking of Thebes. I’m what I call a ‘passive history nerd’, in that I love hearing and learning about world history but I don’t do much of anything resembling scholarly research. More of a factoid collector, if anything.

Important Kima Update

YOU GOOD?

I mean, no one’s doing as good as our benevolent queen Kima.

We’re in the midst of a blizzard here in Kansas City, amazingly only our second snow of the season but looks like it’s going to make up for it all at once. This morning it’s coming down so hard that you can actually hear it, which is wild.

Pretty, though.

Not much else going on at the moment, which is okay. I got the thumbs up to start work on my next batch of AEW paintings, which should all be fun and I’ll dive into today or tomorrow.

Yup! That’s about it. I’ll have a new recipe to share on Thursday if you’re into that. My first time playing with jackfruit.

Love you more,
Rob