Robert Dowd is most recognized for his paintings of United States currency and stamps. His style was loosely based on the Pop movement of the 1960's and abstract expressionist ideas. Dowd was born in 1936 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended high school in Detroit, Michigan and after graduating he served in the United States Marine Corps until 1957. When he returned to Detroit, Dowd enrolled in the Center for Creative Study where experimentation was encouraged. He developed his own style during his academic career and admired the work of Jasper Johns and Willem de Kooning.

In 1960 as a member of the Young Artists Group in Detroit, Dowd shared ideas with fellow member Phillip Hefferton. The two artists, limited by their inadequate ...