I recently had the opportunity to sit down with artist Rob Schamberger to talk professional wrestling, art, and how he markets and promotes his creations and business within the wrestling fandom.
When did you first become a fan of professional wrestling?
Around 1998. I was 18 and doing laundry at my folks’ house. My step-father had stopped on WCW Nitro with Ric Flair doing a promo, and dude I was hooked. Luckily the next week when I was flipping through the channels to find that again I landed on Raw instead, which at that time was firing on all cylinders.
Why did sports entertainment make such an impact on you, and even more so, what or who hooked you on it? Was there a wrestler, character, or event that really pulled you in?
It was really the whole thing. I dug that it was storytelling at its most base form, and that the majority of the characterization was left in the viewer’s mind. Like, Hitchcock didn’t show violence in his movies, it was always slightly off-screen making it that much more visceral for the viewer, as they were forced to fill that in. With wrestling, there’s a direct connection with the viewers and the audience. It’s nearly all pantomime, and that fascinated me as a creative individual. Specifically at that time there was The Rock as a favorite, but I dug the Hardys, Edge and Christian, Austin…again, really I dug everyone on the roster back then.
Tell us about your childhood. Where did you grow up? How was wrestling perceived by most of the kids you grew up with?
I grew up in a suburb outside of Kansas City. I really didn’t dig wrestling as a kid, being focused on cartoons (although I did watch the WWF one from that time) and comic books. I remember the other kids really being into it, but I didn’t gravitate to it back then.
What do you think about the products out there right now, WWE, TNA, ROH, independent promotions…do you have time to keep up live with professional wrestling or is your DVR your best friend?
Man, I wish I could watch more, but there’s only so many hours in the day and most of them I’m painting! I at least watch Raw every week, and try to stay up on TNA. I’m heavily involved with Metro Pro here in Kansas City. I’m lucky now that I’ve got friends working for just about every major promotion, and I want to see all of those do well so that my friends can do well! I do want more people to support local wrestling. When done right, like Metro Pro, it’s the most fun you can have at a wrestling show.
If you had to choose, #HEEL or #FACE…how about that name…Rob you are now a wrestler…tell us your gimmick.
Oh, I’m a natural heel, just ask my wife! I have a question that I always ask people so that I can get to know them, which is “What would your wrestling entrance be?” Mine would go like this: Giant light-up letters would be set up that individually flash R-O-B-R-O-B while White Zombie’s ‘More Human Than Human’ plays, I then walk out and throw up my rock fist and flames shoot behind me. Really, I want this to happen in every single room I walk into.
Lets talk about your art. When was it that you got the idea to combine your enjoyment of professional wrestling and its cast of past and present characters with your love and ability as a professional artist.
I’d been a professional artist for about 15 years with minimal success. I’d played around with wrestling in my art and had worked on a graphic novel about the squared circle that never quite materialized. Then I saw one of my friends do really well on Kickstarter and I had my eureka moment: I’ll do a Kickstarter where I’ll paint individual portraits of every one of wrestling’s World Champions! Not realizing that it’d be nearly 250 portraits, but hey, I’m up to any challenge! That raised $20,000 for me last year, which let me transition to making art full-time.
If you had to pick one iconic commission or portrait you have released thus far as being the pinnacle of your artistic focus at this time, which would it be.
Oh, that’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite kid! With the Champions Collection, probably my portrait of Diamond Dallas Page. There was a lot of technical precision and pre-planning involved with that one, and it came out exactly how I had pictured it.
Has a wrestler yet requested that you paint a portrait of them, if so, who?
It’s a long list! The guys and gals have been nothing but supportive. Bret Hart has done prints with me, CM Punk has a couple of my paintings in his home, the Rock’s mom got a print of him from me…really, if I start listing people off I’m sure to forget someone. A lot of thanks goes to Adam Pearce and Colt Cabana for publicly supporting me when I was first starting out. Also, David Arquette has his Champions Collection portrait hanging in his living room! Surreal, huh?
How has the feedback been thus far for your work out of professional wrestling…have there been any mentions of your work, or, letters of good credit bestowed on you from any of your subjects?
It’s been universally amazing. WWE.com did a story on me, which was huge. I get public support just about every day now from the workers. Jim Ross, Gerry Brisco, JBL, Hurricane Helms, Goldust, Mick Foley, Tara, Samoa Joe, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder…hell, both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns use my portraits of them as their Twitter profile pics.
Speaking of professionals, real quick, alive or dead who would be the one subject you would love to ask you, “Rob, I love your work, what do you think about painting a picture of me?”
Lou Thesz. He’s the best of all time. That’s not a subjective thing either, it’s a simple fact. I know I’m opening myself up to nerd rage with that, but sorry guys, it’s the truth. I’d let him ask me that, and then I’d sit for hours and just listen to him. I’ve become friendly with his widow Charlie and she told me he’d have absolutely loved what I’m doing, so that will have to be good enough!
Do you have any series on deck for consumers to keep an eye out for. I know that you and I have had a back and forth of thoughts on series concepts, but, is there anything the public can know about this time? #spoilers?
I’m playing around with some mini-print set ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I’m also looking into doing a bunch of things with the olde-time champions like Georg Hackenschmidt, Frank Gotch and their like. Trading cards, art book, coloring book, etc. That’d be fun and help memorialize these guys that are largely forgotten.
Right now, in the business of wrestling, marketing, and branding, how do you get out there and make that dollar…what is a typical month like for Rob Schamberger the business man?
I work twelve hours a day seven days a week, man. It’s all me. I do the social media, the packing, the shipping, the shows (and all of the promotional work that goes with that), plus all of the painting, and somewhere I fit in my family. A personal life is a myth at this point. If I’m not hustling, I’m not earning, you know? This is how I pay my bills, so I have to be ‘on’ 24/7. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
How has social media, at all, helped extrapolate your business?
All of my business comes from social media. I worked in social media professionally before taking this on, which has helped me out considerably. My wife still works in that field, too. I don’t advertise, so all of my customers and my exposure has come from word of mouth. The best advice I found is to just be me, and to occasionally remind people where and how they can buy my work. It’s also given me a great opportunity to get, for lack of better words, ‘celebrity endorsements’ from the guys in the business. The day CM Punk retweeted my portrait of Samoa Joe I got about 500 followers in the first hour! Even though I’m a business, I use the platforms as myself, because that’s who I am. My customer service is the same as if I was face-to-face with someone (and some can attest to me being a natural heel from that, I’m sure!) and my conversations are the same.
How is the business competition out there…is anyone else out there doing, or trying to do what you are making quite famous right now within the professional wrestling community’s fandom?
Not really, and none at the scale I am. I’m sure that will change very soon. The artist community is competitive, but not really like other fields. We’re mostly happy for each other and take inspiration from each others’ work. Jill Thompson has been incredibly supportive of me, when in another field someone like her would have tried to bury me. For those unfamiliar, she is the artist who painted Punk’s new t-shirt and designed Daniel Bryan’s ring gear, as well as being an award-winning artist on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and did a children’s book with Mick Foley. Steve Willaredt has also become a friend. He does crazy cool wrestling caricatures and it turns out lives here in Kansas City as well. Another caricaturist, Chad Engle, has also become a friend. I see a lot of fans doing cool art, too.
Can you see yourself moving on beyond portraits into other avenues of products that would still be rooted in the world of professional wrestling and still be capable of supporting your artistic interests?
Oh, I’m sure, but nothing I’m actively looking into at this point. There’s a lot of gas left in the wrestling art tank for me! I am working on a smaller series of Doctor Who stuff right now for fun, and I’m sure I’ll do other personal projects like that here and there.
What is on tap next for Rob Schamberger?
I’m going to refocus on the Champions Collection for a while, I think. She’s the girl that done brung me to the dance, so I ought to dance with her for a while longer. Doing commissions has been fun, but I’m going to take some time and work on the pieces that speak to my soul. Artsy fartsy stuff, right? I’m going to continue on the path that has brought me success, and that’s to do what interests me. Luckily, a lot of cool people share those interests!
Thank you, Rob, for taking the time out of your “Schamberger Hustle” today to sit down with me and chat wrestling, art and where you have found a home at their intersection. For more information on the art of Rob Schamberger please visit his store and online gallery at www.robschamberger.com and follow him on twitter: @RobSchamberger
Rob’s soul, passion, and respect for professional wrestling leaps from the canvas…I myself have one of his prints in my collection and treasure it dearly.
I’ll catch up with you go-fors later,
Sweet Stanley Rose
All portraits published courtesy of Rob Schamberger
Rob Schamberger Media Photo Credit: Paul Andrews
sweetstanleyrose 