Wednesday, May 15, 2013

With the Wyndhams

14x14 oil on linen

Been in a museum mood lately. It seems a good subject to paint a little larger. I keep hearing I should paint bigger but I worry that my subjects are rather intimate sorts of settings that won't lend themselves to large works. Who wants a giant chef in a busy kitchen on their wall? But I am scaling up to give several of my galleries more options. I do think I have a contemporary feel at least, and want to push that more so I can maybe hang these larger pieces on cradled panels and not frame them.

In this piece, I painted over a bad start that I had scraped and I used some palette knife just to add a little texture and move color around the background especially. I used my fingers some too.

I sometimes wonder if its cheating to use famous pieces of art in my own art. If people like the artist featured, for example, John Singer Sargent, then they have to like my painting. But, what I most like is to paint people admiring the masters, and doing what I love to do myself.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Skimming Along

10x10 oil on panel
$500 + s/h
contact me

A slightly larger beach scene that I created for a commission. These were all done with reference photos I had. Frequently, I will pull parts of photos together to build a composition. The boys were from different scenes and the boat another. If you work from photos you need to be able to reference them, not copy them. So even the most unpromising looking image can spark an idea or offer me something. I will frequently do pencil sketches first to lay out an idea and then look for reference material. I have thousands of digital  photos and I have them sorted by subject in folders. Its all backed up on Mozy.com. My husband couldn't believe it when he saw that I have something like 27GB of photos.

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Beach Play

8x8 oil on panel
$225 + s/h


Another painted sketch for a large commission. One which didn't ever get painted unfortunately. Maybe someone out there in blogland would like to see one of these on a large scale? I'd love to paint a huge beach scene like this!

These were based on photos I took on Emerald Isle in NC. Its a lovely island community near Swansboro and Tidewater Gallery. It was very residential too which was quite special I thought. I hope to visit again.

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Sunset Stroll

8x8 oil on panel
$225 + s/h
Last year I did some painted sketches for a possible commission. The idea was to capture a family, with young boys specifically, on the beach. I have several of these available still so thought I'd share them here.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Sunny Stroll - Revised


20x16 oil on linen

Ask Tidewater Gallery about this painting.


I just shipped this painting to Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, NC. It was painted in 2010 and had been in my gallery in Carmel for awhile. Once back here in my studio, there were certain things bugging me about it and needing fixed. So I revised it. * Gasp*  It was the first time I dared to (or bothered to) change an older work. Mostly I think its better to just paint a new one. But this was a good composition and the figures were well done and interesting... the other stuff just needed some tweaks.

I didn't like the foreground mostly and wanted to vary the rather strident orange tones. But then my changes escalated and I moved all around the figures making adjustments! Can you see all the changes? I've highlighted the big ones below and you can compare the two images. Then there were little changes like making her nose a little smaller, bluing up the sky and punching up the highlights on her shirt and his shorts to really make them pop. Its ok to use pure white paint! But, it can be cool, so add just the slightest touch of cad yellow or surround white with yellow (or another warm) to make it stand out as a "hot spot".


Monday, March 18, 2013

Just Desserts

18x18 oil on panel 
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting




The Slice of Life show opened last Thursday at Gardner Colby and I had a lovely email this weekend telling me about an article written about my work in the show. The article focused on the aerial perspective that I use in some of my paintings. I am really flattered to have sparked people's interest, especially Tom Hall, Arts & Exhibits Correspondent
of Southwest Florida. :-)
Click here to read the article.  

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Afternoon

24x18
oil on 2" cradled panel

Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

I am so clever with titles. Not. Anyway - this is a larger bird's eye scene than I have ever done before. I love to paint these scenes as they are so simple and almost abstract. Its always fun to play with shadows. I think though that they have taught me how to fill in large empty spaces in interesting ways. With subtle shifts in temperature and color and by varying brushwork, the empty fields are not boring. Its also taught me to make interesting greys.

This week is spring break in central Texas and I sure wish I was able to visit Naples, FL for the opening this week. If you are in the area, go and tell me how this show is. I'd love to see all these artists work in person, and see their subjects. Would be very inspirational.






Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Saucier

11x14 oil on linen
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

Click on this one to see it larger. I could have gone on and covered more canvas and added more details but I decided to stop. I loved it at this point - loose, fresh and gestural. This is more of what I want to do and I just have to be bold enough to do it. Hopefully, the gallery and their patrons will approve!

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Maestro

12x9 oil on panel  

Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

"Slice of Life" opens March 14th. The theme couldn't be more right for me. Its what I like to paint best - those moments in life that seem less than extraordinary, but are what the stuff of life is made of. Life here is finally taking a turn for the better. My husband is going back to work soon. My parents are making plans to move to the Austin area finally. Spring is in the air and I feel my heart lifting as these weighty matters come to resolution. Not to get too personal, but I feel very blessed that these last months have made our family stronger and closer when the difficulties could have produced very different results. I'm really proud of my husband. And my daughter.


My work is now turning to kitchen and domestic scenes. Its all relative. :-) 




Yesterday I met my lovely friend V....Vaughan and we painted while we visited in a very welcoming and cozy coffee shop in northwest Austin - Joel's. Its also the home of Austin Truffle Company and nothing will get you through a crazy time like excellent mocha truffles (and friendship.) I did the two studies above from photos while we enjoyed our hot chocolate, tea and truffles. Will be working them into larger works soon.

Monday, March 04, 2013

Conductor

Conductor
8x6 oil on panel
$175 + s/h - sold


Houston Symphony
20x24 oil on panel
Commissioned by the Houston Symphony League

Above is my final painting for the Houston Symphony celebrating the last year their conductor, Hans Graf, will lead them. I have had such fun painting scenes from this event. Now I need to get backstage at the Austin symphony, or maybe the opera. How fun would that be?

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Brigade de Cuisine

14x11 oil on panel
sold

One of my favorite subjects to paint. Its on its way to the Florida for the "Slice of Life" show. Below is a nice little write up on the show which appears in the March issue of American Art Collector. I am still starstuck at the company I am keeping in this show! My parents are going to drive down to see it, and I wish I could join them especially as that is spring break week here in central Texas.  


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Allegro

Allegro
8x6 oil on panel
$175 + s/h
PURCHASE

Yes, I am still here! I've been painting and now finalizing my work for Gardner Colby's "Slice of Life" show which opens March 14 in Naples. I also finished up the large commissioned painting for the Houston Symphony conductor. I really enjoyed painting scenes from that night. I have several smaller ones like above and larger ones which will be available in my galleries.

Sorry for my long absence. Its been hectic at home. My husband is still out of work, we had Girl Scout cookie season, show prep, sick dog, a trip for interviewing out of state, and the usual things like extra curricular activities and lots of laundry, etc. Just a whirlwind start to the new year. I make the time to paint, but not so much to post.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Oyster Bar


 12x9 oil on panel each

I think I had names in mind for these but have forgotten them. Hopefully I will come up with something clever. For now, they are two more views of the Oyster Bar. I've sent these images to Castle Gallery and all three paintings are spoken for. That is a wonderful feeling. I guess I got it right!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Oyster Bar

16x20 oil on panel
sold

Last fall, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful couple in their favorite restaurant - The Oyster Bar - in Forth Wayne, IN. It was a dim, narrow and historical old building with a lot of charm and character and they wanted me to paint some scenes from it. They get first pick of the scenes I've worked on. 
I'm sending this and two others to Castle Gallery soon for their annual Valentine's Show. Opening night is February 9th.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Houston Symphony

Happy New Year! 2013 is promising to be full of challenges and changes if my last couple of weeks are any indication!

I had the very wonderful opportunity last weekend to paint behind the scenes at the Houston Symphony. I was commissioned to capture the conductor Hans Graf and some of the principal players for the conductor's last season. It was such an honor and so inspiring to be painting with a live orchestra!


They had set up a monitor for me to work from backstage with the camera behind the musicians, looking towards the conductor. I also got to look through the doorway peephole and get onstage before and after the performance. These are my sketches from that night. The first painting I just focused on the conductor and tried to capture some of his movements and the lighting on him. A definite challenge!



I will complete the one above using the photos I took while there and post again to show my final results. Its good to be back focusing on art again after lots of holiday fun. I hope that the new year is a joyful one for all my friends in blogland!




Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you every happiness this Holiday Season, the Merriest Christmas and prosperity in the New Year. Thank you for being a friend and fan. I look forward to the new year and new creative endeavors.
  
All the best to you and your family!
Robin 

Friday, December 07, 2012

Anything But Pedestrian


10x20 oil on canvas panel
sold


A walk down Congress Avenue in Austin. Its generally not a mundane tour of the city. :-)

_____________

Consider a fine art print for a holiday gift this year - 
16x12" giclee on fine art paper - signed limited edition of 20
$80 incl. shipping
16 still available


Thursday, December 06, 2012

Les Deux Gamin

12x12 oil on panel
sold

A little blast from the past. Ready to find a permanent home!

I dreamed about going to NYC last night. This is a little corner bistro in the West Village where we had lunch one day during a workshop. I hope that the city, and New Jersey and surrounding areas are recovering from Sandy. What a devastating mess. My thoughts are with all in those affected areas.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Gelato Counter

18x12 oil on linen
Available at Russell Collection Fine Art

We had a very fun opening reception last night at the gallery for the Femme show. What a great bunch of artists and a very eclectic show. Nine of the 11 featured artists were there. Several of my new paintings sold which I consider high praise. 

I had fun taking pictures with my iPhone apps. I used Hipstamatic on these below.  The show hangs until Dec. 22nd so do stop in to see it if you can.




 


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...