It might help to understand Bob's use of Garden Design Elements by looking at some of his paintings. Besides his degree in landscape architecture from Penn State, he studied oils and watercolors for ten years at the Art Students' League in New York City, where he became a life member. One of his paintings hangs in the permanent collection there. In addition, he collaborated with one of his instructors in a show at the Metropolitian Museum of Art.

Bob's paintings were influenced by impressionist, cubist, and abstract artists, and particularly by Paul Cezanne. Some depict personalized perceptions of landscapes and people, while others do not represent any objects at all. When he painted abstracts in oils, he kept adding colors and shapes until he was pleased with the result. When he designed the garden, he drew all the paths and beds while it was still an empty field. But after he put in the rhododendrons and trees he continually moved plants around to experiment with different effects.