CV
Rob Summerlin is an award-winning storyteller who moves between illustration, music, film, and performance. He is Queer, French, and American living on the unceded ancestral land of the Ramaytush Ohlone.
Summerlin has an affection for dusty eccentric fringe characters whose inner lives bubble with contradiction. His tools are restraint, humor, quiet tension, and a naive hand.
Residencies etc.
- Shakespeare & Co, Paris, “Tumbleweed” 2013
- Aspen Institute Poetry Workshop 2017
- Alchemy Arts Center, San Juan, WA 2023
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Rob Summerlin
001—THE POET & THE PLANT
A short film written, co-directed, and starring Rob, narrated by a plant with the unforgettable voice of Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe winner Sarah Snook. This offbeat little gem won Best of Fest at the Hudson Valley Film Festival and picked up a few more laurels along the way.
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002—ILLUSTRATIONS
IN PROGRESS
Rob’s illustrations balance dark humor with extreme restraint. Dry, ironic, childlike, absurd, his work carries an outsider-art energy without being raw for raw’s sake (he’s drawing as best he can). Each image invites viewers to sit with discomfort or solitude, once the initial humor dissipates.
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003—UNCLE JIM
IN PROGRESS
Uncle Jim is an original musical that blends American myth, dark humor, and dysfunctional family dynamics. Set in 1981 Texas, it tells the story of a jailed man dismissed as delusional for believing he’s an astronaut and his two nephews who run away from home to free him. As secrets surface and loyalties fracture, the show explores belief, power, and the cost of telling the truth in a country built on spectacle.
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004—GOOGLE AUTOCOMPLETES IN AMERICA 2018
Screenshots of Google autocompletes (Google’s suggested searches as you type, based on what most people search), this collection captures the unfiltered questions Americans ask when they think no one is watching. What emerges is a candid, sometimes unsettling snapshot of American desire, anxiety, and curiosity.
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005—BUBBLES
COMING SOON
What started as a triptych of drawings turned into an animated short. At some point Rob realized it would make for a great ad and found the perfect partner: Prisoner’s Literature Project. It will be playing soon in San Francisco theatres before feature films as part of the Local Spotlight Series by Nate Zack.
006—RUM PUM PUM GOES RINGO STARR
DO YOU KNOW RINGO?
A vibrant, hand-drawn children’s book with bold color, loose line work, and a playful chaotic energy. A young moustached Ringo’s relentless drumming overwhelms his mom, until a doctor finally explains that he isn’t broken, he’s just a drummer.
We are currently on a mission to get Ringo Starr’s permission—so if you know Ringo, let us know.
007—DAVE GROHL ESSAY
An unfriendly critique of a rock-and-roll legend, this essay 1. went viral, amassing over a million reads (and many death threats) 2. challenges the near-universal adoration of Dave Grohl and what it reveals about authenticity, fandom, and celebrity culture. The essay was praised by the music critic for the LA Times, Lorraine Ali.
Read it…
008—ZEEMINAR ALYUMSHKA
Rob’s first record bloomed into a drag circus folk troupe. An 8-piece band and a trumpet-playing devil, the songs explore god, country, dads, and the loneliness in between. The album release party was a fake prom at San Francisco’s iconic Verdi Club with nearly 150 dressed up freaks dancing to an impeccable line up ft. Ghost Orchid, Freight Train Lady, and the Free Key Choir.
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009—MAGNIFICENT FLOWERS FROM A SECRET PLACE
A young child tells a grown up all about “Flowers from a secret place.” Though made up, the descriptions make you question your initial assumption that the secret place is fake, and tells you more and more about the child’s interior/exterior life. Perhaps, you find that one of these flowers is your new favorite flower ever.
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010—PEOPLE STILL HOLD HANDS YOU KNOW
An original poem by Rob set to clips from the 1966 independent horror film Manos: The Hands of Fate, widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made. It being in the Public Domain allows him to use it without permission. Much like his music video for Zeeminar Alyumshka’s ‘Ding Dong Song’
Watch it…
011—THE FWOMPLETINI GAZOOTER
The Fwompletini Gazooter: one illustrated sheet, front and back, mailed to 50 subscribers every month. Featuring unhinged horoscopes and saucy sex tips from Sharon, a self-obsessed old white lady, this glorious DIY publication thrived for one unforgettable year.
See them here…
0012—A GATOR TALE
A sad-but-sweet homeless man dressed in an alligator suit roams New York City — begging, bowling, riding merry-go-rounds — until a lady gator appears. Cigarettes are shared, tails compared, and life doesn’t feel so lonely anymore. A one-day, $0-budget cinematic debut short filmed by Dane Lonsdale (of danelons.com fame) and the magnificent Morgan Walters.
Watch it…
013—SONGS VOL. 1
An acoustic album under Rob’s given name, sparse and raw, with a naïve, heartfelt touch. Highlights include a quirky tribute to a neuro-divergent grocery store bagger and a song amde up entirely of nonsense words called, ‘Advice to my future children.’
Listen here!…
014—ARE WE UNDERGROUND?
A passionate meditation sparked by Emir Kusturica’s film Underground, this essay uses cinematic allegory to reflect on America’s media, power structures, and political disillusionment. Weaving together the film, Chomsky’s critique of state-corporate influence, and personal observation, it asks what it means to be “underground” in a society shaped by distraction, fear, and systems that benefit the few at the expense of the many
Read it here…
015—KOI FISH PRINTS
What seems like a serene koi fish print is actually a tale of forbidden desire. A young mobster koi dreams of France, tiny dogs, and marrying his his boss, who misreads his devotion as strictly business. This limited edition was printed at the Aesthetic Union as part of their Artist Editions series and is currently available at Fleetwood in the Inner Richmond.
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016—BERTIE
Published by Irrelevant Press, this illustrated zine tells the story of Queen Victoria and how much she hated her firstborn son, Bertie. Equal parts historical absurdity and social critique, it’s a tale of monarchy, imperialism, and the impossible task of just trying to enjoy life as a prince while your country ruins the world.
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017—BLUE
A short film and video collage shot on an iPhone 6, this piece begins as a portrait of Rob’s favorite dog before spiraling into a reflection on self-assessment and a concise exploration of attachment theory. A re-edit incorporating public domain clips is planned for festival submissions and public release.
Watch it…