Artist Statement

Born and bred, Robyn grew up amongst an old-fashioned rose garden, which created the setting for her future floral art and her love of nature. After gaining her secretarial credentials, Robyn worked as an Office Manager, gaining experience for establishing “Robs Art & Design” in later years. When her two children started school (1987), she also started school as a “mature age student” at Midland TAFE and Fremantle TAFE, gaining her Diploma in Art & Design after five years of part time study. During this time Rob worked as a landscape gardener to have a break from study and again be amongst the flowers. Strangely, while supplementing TAFE studies with a private teacher, Cynthia Trotter, Robs most disliked subject matter was flowers. Obviously, a love/hate relationship was just beginning. Completing her Diploma enabled her to teach all mediums in private and commercial classes. Her experience as a teacher for 40 years has included teaching at Atwell House, Canning Arts Centre and privately, which has enabled her to pass on her knowledge to many students in a fun and rewarding manner. While a member of The Alfred Cove Art Society, her floral painting was amongst a collection of work by the group to win the worldwide Dale Rowney art competition, judged in London. Memberships to art association include the Pastel Society of W.A, the West Australian society of Arts, Melville Arts, the Realist Group. Robyn won the International Artist Magazine world art competition for floral art (63 countries participated) and hence wrote articles for this magazine and for The Australian Artist Magazine, which showcased her work in one of their publications. Three Perth galleries, Linton and Kay, Gallery 360, Leederville and Applecross Framing and Fine Art, included her in their stable of artists from 2001 which involved working full time exclusively for them painting large realist/design floral paintings. Linton and Kay purchased a triptych 1 metre x 3 metres every week. (2001 – 2007) Her acrylic and oil paintings have been sold to Government Bodies, Corporate Establishments and commercial businesses. A large triptych was commissioned for Saint John of God hospital in Subiaco (for their restaurant) and they also purchased large prints of her Kimberley landscape series for their cancer consulting rooms. Prints of the floral paintings have been sold internationally and nationally. Big Prints in New South Wales handles the prints. Robyn has demonstrated for several Art Associations in all mediums over the years. The workshops run have covered pastels, watercolour, acrylics and oils in all styles, realism, impressionism and abstraction. Drawing classes have been run in preparation for the painting classes. The two-day workshops were in acrylics, covering colour mixing, still life, landscape, animals and figure in the impressionist and realism style. For ten years she ran two-year workshops at Canning Arts for 20 students in the morning and 20 in the afternoon, covering all mediums and styles of painting. Doing talks for the Rotary and Probus clubs have been very well received and has been a lot of fun for her. Also, Robyn has demonstrated for the West Coast Society in her studio. Being the sole artist invited to demonstrate and display her paintings at the auction ball for the West Coast Eagles at the Burswood ball room for five years proved to be very interesting, especially when painting in her ball gown. Being a judge for the Canning Art Award for several years has given her much pleasure, especially encouraging new artists to continue to pursue their love of painting. She was the 2011, 2014 and 2017 sole art judge for the Alcoa Pinjarra Art Awards, a very prestigious annual award with substantial prize money given to winners. Robyn has been the sole judge for The Awards of Excellence for the Canning Arts Group and co- judged with Carl Altmann (Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery) on other occasions. Judging at the Plein Air Down Under weekend in 2023 and 2024 has been a privilege and very exciting. Some of the awards won by Robyn are: - Winner of the Pinjarra Art Award 2009, sponsored by Alcoa for “Magnolias making an Impression”. Winner of the Peoples Choice Award in the 2010 Alcoa Mandjar Art Award. Winner of Best in Show at the 2014 Alfred Cove Art Society’s annual Awards of Excellence exhibition. Rob trades as “Robs Art & Design” (robsart.au) Her style of painting for enjoyment and fun is large impressionist paintings with varying subject matter. Over the last ten years her commissions include large flower designs, native birds and landscapes in realism painted in oils. The same subject matter is painted for Gallery 360 and Terrace Art Framers. For over 20 years, from time to time, she has been one of the leading sellers for Gallery 360. The Western Australian Art Gallery employs Robyn to do lectures on the techniques of Acrylics, Oils and Pastels. Robyn was one of the “artist in residents” with a group at Rolley Taskers Sailing Museum in Mandurah. The group was known as the Terrace Artists. An annual exhibition at the museum (opened by the Mayoress of Mandurah) was extremely popular with over 300 people at the opening nights, resulting in a sell out of her work. While residing in South Perth, Robyn used her large home studio, gallery and teaching room for two-day workshops in acrylics. The studio and gallery catered for groups that were interested in art talks and demonstrations including morning or afternoon teas. The Lilac Hill Art Group provided a lovely friendly social day for painting for four years while living in Perth. Two Galleries in Perth are handling her work, White Frame Gallery on Canning Highway, South Perth and Gallery 360 in Leederville. Robyn is also represented by Terrace Art Framers in Mandurah. To keep up to date with Robs latest work please find her on Facebook, Instagram and website. Robyn is a member of the Mandurah Plein Air Group, who paint once a week at various locations around Mandurah. Also, she participates in the Plein Air Down Under weekend in Mandurah, where interstate and overseas artists enjoy painting the Mandurah scenery. One day workshops for the Mandurah Plein Air Artist Group have also been run at the Mandurah Performing Arts Center by Robyn. Currently Robyn is teaching private students, mature aged, in acrylics and oils in her home studio one day a week. Commission work and gallery work keeps her in full time employment for the rest of the week. Robyn runs workshops at Jacksons Art Supplies in Acrylics, oils and Pastels on a variety of subjects and applications. After 37 years of teaching, exhibiting and completing paintings for clients and galleries, she feels blessed and privileged to have been able to meet lovely people and pass on her knowledge.