The Empty Bed

The Empty Bed is a darkly funny pen-and-ink heartbreak book, a self-pitying lonely odyssey taking place after romantic relationships end. It is playful and mystical with many one page jokes of heavy truths in a loose narrative flow. The book includes an interview with the author’s Mother on divorce and death, an excerpt from the secret files of ghost-hunter Dr. Fourteen, and The Death Wish Guide To Loss. All of it rendered in quill and brush where words and pictures mingle freely.

Robert’s work on the stage and studio has always been both side-splittingly hilarious and goddamned distressing; working in the book format he offers up an additional, unexpected outcome — pure beauty!
— Gregg Turkington, comedian

Robert Dayton is an interdisciplinary artist and writer. Comedy? Sure! His writing and drawings have appeared in numerous publications, books, exhibits, etc. Robert has performed across North America and Australia. As The Canadian Romantic, he manifests as a series of videos, live performances, a doll, an art book and a winking photo to make people in Canada and everywhere feel more attractive. His collaborative musical performance and recording projects include song-and-dance duo Canned Hamm, July Fourth Toilet, and New Horizzzons.