Robin S. Rier lives in Jonesport, Maine, where the scenery provides endless opportunities for interpretation. “Working on location is an invigorating and engaging experience. The challenge to paint quickly before the light changes or the tide ebbs and floods , presents a situation where I must look hard, see, figure out my approach and apply paint to the canvas. The process requires concentration and attention. Decisions are constantly being made ; composition, color, brushwork, do I need to change something? I remind myself to breathe and have fun. Nature is complex yet joyful and ever changing, therein lies the difficulty to be at ease all of the time. I allow myself to laugh. “When my paintings transport a viewer to a new or forgotten place, or evoke a feeling, a thought, this is my bonus.” Robin’s oil paintings carry a unique quality of color and peacefulness, and often result in a record of places gone by.
Robin moved to Eastport, Maine in 1979 where she completed a two-year wooden boatbuilding and design course. Her eye for detail developed along with an appreciation for the majestic beauty of eastern Maine. She married, had a family and owned and operated a bed and breakfast in Machias. Robin returned to university and graduated in 2002 from the University of Maine at Machias earning a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts with a concentration on Visual Arts. It was here that she rekindled her love of drawing, painting, sculpting and art history.
Robin has studied plein air painting with artist Sharon Yates, in New Brunswick, Canada. She has taken various plein air painting workshops with Robert Beck, Colin Page,and Barry Coombs. Please refer to her resume for more information.
Her work has shown at galleries, juried outdoor settings, and scheduled open studio hours. An exhibitor with the Woodwind Gallery in Machias, Robin has also shown with the Maine Farmland Trust Gallery in Belfast, Schooner Art Gallery in Milbridge, Maine. Robin often participates in local and statewide art events for the benefit of non-profit organizations. Her work has been collected worldwide.