Robert “Bear” Royal
(lives and works in Ridgeway, ON)

Robert “Bear” Royal is a Canadian artist, whose work invites viewers into a tactile dialogue with time, memory, and nature. Known for his striking reclaimed wood mosaics, collages, and sculptures, Royal creates pieces that are as emotionally resonant as they are visually compelling. Each work is a meditation on the passage of time—captured in the worn patinas and weathered textures of salvaged wood that cannot be replicated or fabricated.

Originally based on Canada’s West Coast, Royal spent two decades immersed in the world of fine furniture design. That experience honed his eye for balance, composition, and color—foundational elements that now inform his art practice. Since relocating to Ontario’s Niagara Region in 2009 and settling in Ridgeway, he has evolved into a full-time artist, with reclaimed wood becoming both his material of choice and his muse.

Royal’s work is deeply personal and emotionally grounded, exploring themes of aging, impermanence, and renewal. Yet it also speaks to a broader audience, offering collectors a timeless aesthetic rooted in authenticity, craftsmanship, and ecological awareness.

Over the past five years, Royal’s career has gained strong momentum, with more than 100 original works acquired by collectors across Canada, the United States, and Europe. His art has been featured in numerous successful exhibitions, including multiple solo shows at Mahtay Café, a juried exhibition at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery (2020), and a prize-winning appearance at the 2024 Crystal Beach Art Show. In early 2024, several pieces sold during an exhibition at the John Mann Gallery. Most recently, his work has been shown at the Niagara Falls Art Gallery and the NOTL Contemporary Art Gallery.

For collectors seeking work that embodies both soul and substance, Royal’s reclaimed wood art offers a rare combination of visual beauty, conceptual depth, and enduring material integrity.