Robin, born and married in South Africa, headed to Australia with Kevin in 1983, a move that saw the couple add a daughter and their beloved yacht Poco to the family. A number of years sailing between Australia, Africa and Asia followed, enabling Robin to exhibit her work far and wide, picking up commissions en route.
‘Existence’ is Robin’s ninth exhibition in Phuket and those who follow the artist will easily recognise her style and depiction of her subjects. That’s not to say that new surprises won’t be on display, though.
“My style changes with my mood, the subject matter, the light available at the time I am painting or simply whatever medium I have on hand at that moment,” Robin says.
“My work varies from total realism – particularly with my animal or human portraiture – to impressionism,” she adds.
A tribute to Robin’s revived life as an artist, as well as life in general, ‘Existence’ promises to suit all manner of creative tastes. There are a few of her much loved graphite drawings, pen and ink drawings, a number of oil paintings and her ever-interesting collages, all with their added ‘Gillow’ touch.
Most intriguing of all, though, are her abstract works and use of oil pastel on canvas, the latter being the newest addition to the artist’s creative palette.
One of the larger works and more abstract pieces on display is ‘ADRIFT’. Completed earlier this year, it expresses Robin’s emotions when the opportunity resurfaced for her to paint again.
“With my husband’s continued health improvement, I could float free from the restrictions the situation had placed on us as a family and create again,” Robin says.
“There is more to this work, but I leave you, the viewer, to contemplate its full meaning,” she adds.
One of Robin’s more realist works, titled ‘LIFE’S EDGE’, was coincidentally completed the day of her husband’s stroke. Not one to dwell on the negative, she instead sees this piece as having taken on further meaning; as a beginning rather than a loss or ending; the ebb and flow of the tide bringing new life.
It will be a while before Phuket residents and tourists will have a chance to view Robin’s work again as the latter half of 2019 will see Robin and her husband returning to Australia for several years. While there, Robin will prepare work for a number of exhibitions along the east coast (from Queensland south to Melbourne, Victoria).
She will also return to animal portraiture, in particular equine portraiture, one of her favourite creative past-times for which she is renowned in Australia, South Africa and Kenya.
These works will depict the stud farms – racing or otherwise – event venues and the horses themselves, her aim being to both publish a book of the works as well as exhibit the collection before returning to Thailand in a few years’ time.
‘Existence’ will be on display at Mom Tri’s Wok Gallery Kitchen, located at 32/78 Patak Rd, Rawai, between Feb 1 and March 31. For more information, or for an appointment to visit the studio, contact the artist directly on +(66) (0) 81 797 1421 or at robinzart@gmail.com
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