Robertino "Robert" Fatica has been a lifelong resident of the Little Italy neighborhood. He attended Murray Hill School and Holy Rosary School. After elementary school, he went on to St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, and graduated in 1967.

The decade after graduating from St. Ed's (1967-1977), was a very significant part of Fatica's artistic life. He completed a three-year program at The Cooper School of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, receiving an associate's degree. Following this, Fatica served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Upon release from the Army, Fatica used the GI Bill to further his art education and enrolled in The Cleveland Institute of Art, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts.