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Royal Robertson, a sign painter by trade, was born in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. He left his native state in his early 20's and returned three years later to care for ailing mother. He then married his wife, Adell, but the marriage ended after 19 years, and Robertson has been alone and troubled ever since. He has been scorned by his neighbors and has turned to obsessive records of his visions in imagery and writings. His influences are two-fold; either the futuristic images of aliens, anticipated modes of travel, architectural dream houses or temples, and his tormented memories of his unfaithful wife, Adell, and their spoiled marriage.
Robertson's home and yard are virtually filled with his rotating
signs, cursing Adell on the outside and ubiquitous drawings and
shrines to her on the inside. His drawings show his accomplished
trade of sign painter in their proportional architectural accuracy.
Usually painted on poster paper with magic markers and tempera paint,
they usually allude to precise moments in time, like when Adell was
unfaithful to him.
