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October Issue 2004
Ann Long Fine Art in Charleston, SC, Presents New Work By Mario A. Robinson
Ann
Long Fine Art in Charleston, SC, will host an exhibition of the
figurative works on paper by artist Mario A. Robinson, from Oct.
1 - 31, 2004.
An Oklahoma native, Robinson moved with his family to New Jersey
at an early age, where exploration of his considerable talents
led to training at the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn,
New York.
Robinson's work has always reflected his admiration for the innovations and traditions of European Old Masters; however, it is the dramatically powerful narrative images of American artists like Andrew Wyeth and Thomas Eakins that have exerted the largest influence in terms of style and composition. Their elegant yet minimalist conception of realism is easily recognizable in the efficient details of Robinson's figurative portraits, which train their focus exclusively on the most expressive aspects of the sitter.
While at the Pratt Institute, Robinson was
introduced to work in pastel and was immediately drawn to the
medium's brilliancy and range. He has continued to expand his
versatility as a draughtsman by developing relationships to the
subjects of his work over a period of time, choosing to create
around a dozen graphite studies before deciding upon the final
compositional elements of a charcoal or pastel portrait.
"Robinson's work has been very well received by collectors
from Charleston to New York. His beautifully rendered, sensitive
portraits are people we all know and are extraordinary works of
art. His talent is not going unnoticed," says gallery owner
Ann Long.
Robinson has participated in numerous group shows, including the
National Black Fine Arts Show in New York City and was most recently
featured in American Artist magazine.
Robinson's work has a timeless and universal
quality although many of the images he chooses refer to a bygone
era when solitude and reflection were abundant. He depicts individuals
from small towns located primarily in the state of Alabama, removing
them from the trappings of their everyday life, which is powerfully
present in their features nevertheless.
"Emotion propagates my creative process," Robinson has
stated. The time he spends with the persons he portrays involves
the construction of an intimacy evident in the obvious emotional
experiences displayed on each face in Robinson's subjects. He
says, "A lot of the time, my subjects and I go to the same
church, have dinner together. None of what comes across in the
paintings is made up; it's the undercurrent of what I feel toward
the person".
For more information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 843/577-0447 or at (www.annlongfineart.com).
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc. Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts Online, Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.