Nadine
Robbins Paints
Unconventional
Portraits and
Oysters
By Renee Phillips
W
hether Nadine Robbins is
creating a large painting
of a family portrait or a
closeup view of vibrant
red oysters glistening on
a bed of ice, her approach is always
unconventional. The unique
perspective that she brings to her
light-filled realistic paintings has
attracted the attention of numerous
collectors and praise from the art
community.
For instance, critic John Seed, writing
in the Huffington Post, chose Robbin’s
portrait “Mrs. McDonald” as one of his
“Ten Memorable Paintings for 2013.”
Seed praised the “sultry mood and
unique beauty” of the image, and was
then inspired to write a second article
-- “An Alluring Woman with Fries” --
dedicated to analyzing the painting
more completely.
Nadine Robbins grew up in Southern
France and currently lives in the
Hudson Valley, New York. Her large
portraits have been featured in
exhibitions worldwide. The
prestigious Royal Society of Portrait
Painters in London selected “The
Rolling Buns” (above) and “Acacia and
the Bowman” to be included in two
consecutive annual exhibitions.
Her nude portrait “Moxie” is part of
the legendary Tullman Collection in
Chicago, Illinois. The painting was
also a finalist in the international
Creative Nude Art Erotic Signature’s
Art Competition.
Keith Shaw, art critic and art
historian, referred to Robbins’
portrait, “The Golden Gown,” as “the
best nude oil painting I’ve seen in the
Berkshires, outside The Sterling and
Francine Clark Art Institute in
Williamstown, Massachusetts.” He
remarked, “Nadine Robbins is a superb
figure painter, and her double portrait
is an American masterpiece.”
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure
of asking Nadine Robbins a few
questions about her art.
RP: Nadine, please tell me how you
first became interested in art.
NR: Having lived in France, I grew up
in a culture steeped in visual art. My
mother, herself an artist, encouraged
me and introduced me at a very early
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age to her favorite painters, Renoir,
Picasso and Dali. Winning best artist
in my elementary school was pretty
memorable as well. I think that my
fate was sealed. I guess art is in my
DNA too.
RP: Your extraordinary portraits
have been hailed as masterpieces
and having unique beauty. What
attributes do you think distinguish
your portraits from those by other
portrait painters?
NR: My portraits aren’t
conventional. For years, I worked as
a graphic designer, and I spent far
too much time doctoring images of
people in Photoshop. That drove me
crazy. I don’t want to idealize my
subjects or strive for any
conventional sense of beauty.