Meet Robert Albrecht.
Q: What do you do in Sedona?
A: I am a professional photographer and digital artist. I do every piece of artwork by hand on a tablet for my digital paintings. Early on in my career as an artist, I found out that I am allergic to the oil found in traditional paints, so I switched to technological techniques. With photography, I have 50 years of professional experience, having built my career by photographing fashion models in the commercial industry. My portfolio includes work for JCPenney, Olga, Campbell Soup, and other major Fortune 500 companies. I’ve also done wildlife photography that I enjoy.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your background.
A: I grew up in St. Louis, MO in a police-centric family. My dad was the original Sheriff in a township located in St. Louis County. I’ve lived in other places before, but relocated back to St. Louis when I got married. While there, my wife and I began philanthropic endeavors, working with inner-city youth in sponsorship programs that aimed to see them graduate from high school, and hopefully, college. Of the 74 kids we sponsored, we saw a percentage higher than the national average graduate, which was incredible. A small portion also went on to college. From the inner-city, this group of kids came from adverse backgrounds. We still keep in touch with a few of them who we helped and today, it’s very fulfilling to witness the lives they’ve built lives for themselves.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Sedona?
A: We’ve been in Sedona for 23 years. We started visiting in ‘97 and finally pulled the trigger on buying a home in 2000.
Q: What do you do here for fun aside from your photography and your digital work?
A: I’m a people-person, so my wife and I enjoy going out with friends to eat at restaurants around town. I like to volunteer at the Humane Society as well, I’ve been a volunteer for nearly 20 years. I take photos of the animals. I also enjoy writing, and taking photos of people for fun during my free time.
Q: Out of all the things that you do, what’s the most favorite one?
A: It’s hard to choose just one. I don’t do anything that I don’t enjoy, for starters. My wife and I are very different, being that I’m an only child and she is 1 of 16 siblings. I require more alone time than her. An artist spends a lot of time alone, creating, brainstorming, contemplating, and reflecting. When I want to be interactive, I involve myself more with my volunteer work. Right now, I am especially enjoying writing as a hobby.
Q: Do you have an animal at home?
A: I have one 16-pound cat at home. We lost our other cat recently, she was 14.
Q: Anything that we haven’t talked about that you’d like someone to know about you?
A: All of my other quirky, unusual jobs that have contributed to my life experience. I’ve been a traveling salesman, worked on diesel engines, been a police commissioner, and more. The common through-line has always been my artwork. But overall, I just love people. I love to connect, to have good conversation, and to work for a better for myself and others.
