A Focus on Colour and Expression
I am primarily a colourist. Drawing and the application of colour are indistinguishable parts of my practice, not distinct acts.
While I respond to the direct evidence of my senses, I’m more interested in expressing mood and emotion through colour.
Artists will always find an infinite variety of ways to respond to the world, and my preferred medium
at the moment is soft pastels as they enable me to apply layer after of vibrant colour.
Setting the Mood
Colour, rather than subject, dictates the mood which emerges as the image unfolds, the emphasis being on
enjoyment, spontaneity and intuition.
Colourist Artists
The artists I feel a great affinity for are the Fauves, the
movement nicknamed the ‘wild beats’ from the first decade of the twentieth century.
Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck are amongst my favourites and especially Wassily Kandinsky who said “colour is
a power which directly influences the soul”.
It is in that spirit that I try to imbue my work with feeling
through the use of colour, to respond intuitively as a work progresses rather than think about what’s in front of me, and that’s how I hope viewers will also respond.
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Art as the Constant Thread
Art has been a constant thread throughout my life.
I’ve always painted and drawn instinctively using a wide range of materials to express myself through colour.
Colourful Abstract Textile Designs
Early on in my career that impulse extended beyond the canvas into making art to wear, working in wool to create colourful abstract designs.
Award winning garments from that period were exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
For over a decade I sold art to wear through department stores in New York and California.
These designs began as quick sketches in ink and felt pen which over time led to a deeper commitment to painting.
Inspired by Wild Beauty
Since returning to Tasmania I have been inspired by the islands wild beauty and also picked up oils again, alternating with soft pastels.
Living a Creative Life
The best advice I’ve been given about living a creative life is ‘show up and pick up a brush’.
And the best way I find to develop technique is to make at least ten paintings of any new subject.
About the Artist
Robyn grew up in Hobart, trained originally as a teacher and returned full time to her love of art and colour when she was awarded a development grant from the Australia Council to set up a design studio.
This led to a productive period as a fashion designer based in Western Australia and eventually, back to Tasmania and back to painting.
Robyn held her first solo exhibition ‘Chromatopia’ in Hobart in 2022 and in 2024 won first prize for works on paper in Art on Show.
Be sure to explore more of Robyn’s works on her website and to follow her on Facebook and Instagram for her latest work, sources of inspiration and exhibition news.
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Belinda is doing a great job creating a professional looking artist hub online. Check out the profile I posted recently to see how well she does them. To all my artist friends let’s help make this THE go to place to discover local artists.
You won’t regret joining Art Trails Tasmania . It’s a welcoming community for creatives at any career stage.Becoming an Art Trails Tasmania member wasn’t a hard decision for me to make as it’s such a wealth of knowledge and support.Being member provides a quality way to showcase your creative endeavours and it’s quickly growing in reach.
We operate a home based picture framing business and recently joined Art Trails Tasmania as a means to giving us exposure to the wider artist community. We have almost immediately seen increase in activity thru our online sites, which I am certain will lead to more opportunities to grow our business.
Artist Profile Stories
I want there to be more arts and crafts in our world, in our communities and in our own lives. Hopefully you’ve found this blog post inspiring and interesting.
So I’m creating, with your help, Art Trails Tasmania, allowing all of us who feel this love to create more of it.
And the Art Trails Tasmania blog is a key part of making this happen, telling the stories of members. It’s about what they have happening with workshops and classes, exhibitions, open studio trails, where to find their outlets, markets, fairs and festivals so you can shop their creations as well as their art and craft retreats.
Also being shared are the supporters of our artists, the galleries, shops, cafes, art societies and groups, places to stay and artist in residencies.
