Chesapeake Home

Photo by Sarah Nix

Perhaps that is why he always seems so happy. Perhaps that is why he focuses his paintings on subjects that bring him joy—landscapes, interiors, young people in concert—subjects that he finds to be, in his words, “charming and beautiful.”

One might use the same words to describe his canvases—charming and beautiful, the qualities that first draw one in to his world, a world of intimate landscapes, quiet snow scenes, austerely comfortable interiors, and portraits that capture the essence of his subjects. It is this most recent work that is represented by Steven Scott Gallery in Owings Mills, Maryland—it belongs in the latest chapter of a story that began for Robinson as a child in Korea where he lived with his missionary parents and learned Asian brush painting.

While his current work certainly hints at this early foundation, it is probably necessary to talk about Robinson’s evolution as an artist in order to understand the scope of his oeuvre. What is most intriguing about Robinson is that he never stopped painting—he has always found an outlet for his art, not just creatively but also professionally. A painter through and through, Robinson’s artistic expression manifests itself in many ways: decorative painting through his company The Valley Craftsmen; his portrait commissions; plein air landscapes; interior vignettes; and still lifes.  All are connected by Robinson’s passion for the activity of painting itself.  “The subject matter,” he says, “is less important than the inherent quality of paint and way I handle the paint.”

'Two Candlesticks' one of Robinson's favorites.

Put differently, Robinson’s paintings are about observation and action.  “At the root of it,” he says, “any time I have my eyes open, what I see fascinates me.

Fascination with the activity of painting is evident in everything he does. Today, Robinson is, perhaps, best known as owner of The Valley Craftsmen, a company whose decorative finishes grace some of the finest homes in the region. The business grew out of Robinsons need to, as he puts it, “make a living.”  As a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Robinson was inspired by late 19th and early 20th century representation painters. He gravitated toward a more realistic style, learning traditional, Old-World techniques. “But,” according to Robinson, “when I graduated in the late 70s there was little gallery interest in this sort of work so, I first picked up work in woodworking and carpentry, which was a hobby of my dad’s.” This evolved into restoring antique furniture—Robinson became adept at replicating the centuries old decorative techniques, and soon began making new antique reproduction furniture. Making a living one piece of furniture at a time was difficult, so he turned his interest to decorative finishes for entire rooms—which became the mainstay of The Valley Craftsmen.

Although painting decorative finishes allowed Robinson to keep his brush in paint, as it were, painting for clients is different than following one’s own vision. With academic work that leaned toward the traditional, after graduation the unfettered Robinson explored and experimented with almost every imaginable style. Decades later, The Valley Craftsmen had become a thriving business, and Robinson felt the tug toward focusing more intently upon his own paintings so returned to his roots, settling back into what he describes as “painterly realism.”

The earliest paintings that mark his return to representational work are portraits of his children—plein air landscapes and depictions of home interior spaces soon followed. It was this work that caught the eye of gallery owner Steven Scott, who was drawn to represent Robinson because of his “remarkable sense of color, his keen intelligence, impeccable knowledge of art history, close cropping of interiors, dramatic vantage points, and the fact that he works directly from nature or life.”

Sagamore, oil on canvas, 11x17.5 inches

But perhaps the most remarkable characteristic of Robinson’s work is his style of brushwork, which subtly echoes his early training in Asian brush techniques. What Scott refers to technically as “bravura,” a method by which paint is applied with thick, flowing brushstrokes, Robinson prefers to describe as a “juiciness” that he hopes to achieve in his paintings—a quality wherein much of a painting’s impact is created just from the brushstrokes themselves.

While he relies on observation to ground his efforts, for Robinson, the ultimate goal is not to copy what he sees, but to strike a perfect balance between what he sees and the physical evidence of his technique—to create a visual moment when the illusion of the material world is equally as evident as the painting itself.

Robinson’s paintings of home interiors are almost always done in situ. With these paintings, in particular, he is especially focused on the effects of light. “I am drawn to lamplight and things that are backlit. Backlighting creates such great shapes and silhouettes.”

The intimate landscape paintings are also done almost entirely plein air—except for the larger pieces, which are completed in the studio from Robinson’s own photos and sketches. The tightly focused landscape scenes often depict a small intriguing element of the landscape rather than the vast expanse. “In landscapes,” says Robinson, “I am mostly looking for subjects with interesting lighting and contrast.”

Coe, oil on canvas, 16x20 inches

Equally important to Robinson is portrait work. These paintings are directly related to his other work, in style if not in subject. In the tradition of luminaries like John Singer Sargent, Robinson’s realistic yet flattering characterization of his subjects taps into the same stylistic tendencies, boldness of stroke, and confidence in color, as do his other pieces. The primary difference between the two genres is that with portraiture, the most important goal is to achieve a likeness.

Accolades for his portrait work are on the rise, with awards from the Portrait Society of America for individual paintings, best portfolio, and the self-portrait. For Robinson, though, the best measure of success is getting results. “My favorite part of the process is feeling that I’ve resolved the problems of making a painting. All painters are a little apprehensive about starting a painting, but I love that half way point—even though it still needs fine tuning, the looseness, freshness, and charm of a painting that is starting to come together is exciting. Finishing the painting from that point is hardest—but looking back at the painting and feeling that I’ve been successful is great.”

For more of Sam Robinson’s works CLICK HERE.

Dennis Hockman is the Editor of ChesapeakeHome.

Contacts:
Steven Scott Gallery: stevenscottgallery.com
Sam Robinson: samrobinsonfineart.com