Art
People inspire me and I’m intuitively
attracted to those who exude
authenticity and confidence. When
I’m at a photo shoot for a painting,
I try to capture people in various
ways, whether it’s a humorous pose
or a candid one. These photo sessions
are informal and improvisational. I
stay on the lookout for moments that
speak to my intuition. My best work
has come when my plans go awry and
I go with the moment. What comes
from it are real, uncluttered and
serendipitous moments.
RP: What do you try to capture
in your portraits?
NR: I take a modern, uncluttered
approach to portraiture by
abandoning the rigid postures of
traditional canvases. I invite people
to relax and show their silly, sassy,
confident or mysterious selves.
I want to convey their personalities
through a striking pose, sumptuous
gown, eating french fries, or
sticking out their tongues. Anything
goes as long as my paintings depict
real people in accessible—even
vulnerable—moments.
With my portraits, I hope to give
something to people that they can
relate to and feel drawn to, and
maybe a laugh and a smile as well.
My portraits have personality.
RP: Your portrait subjects appear
so natural. How do you prepare for
your portrait commissions?
Nadine Robbins, PEACE, oil on linen,
72” x 66”. A year in the making,
this painting of the Crosby family
portrait, was recently unveiled at
the Frying Pan Gallery, Wellfleet,
Massachusetts to the delight of
collectors Ned and Kelly Crosby from
Osterville, Massachusetts.
NR: To start, I love to get the
chance to meet the people I paint
and hang out; dinner, some drinks
and relax. It’s a casual and
comfortable way of getting to know
each other and throwing ideas
around. If we don’t have a chance
to socialize, that’s ok. Either way,
I just dive right in and start with
a photo shoot that is kind of like
a journey without any kind of
fixed destinations.
Nadine Robbins, Afternoon
Cocktail, oil on cotton, 12” x 12”
RIGHT
Nadine Robbins, Oysters in the
Afternoon, oil on linen, 36” x 18”.
This painting is available as a
limited edition print.
127
Later, when I look over the photos,
I often end up not picking the image
I planned or thought was going to be
“the one” during the shoot. The final
image choice appeals to my visual
sense of humor or intuition.
RP: You achieve extraordinary
accuracy, exquisite texture and
light in your paintings. I’m sure
your painting process is laborious.
Please explain your painting process.