biography
Nadine Robbins is an internationally known artist who works in a hyperrealist style, painting nudes, portraits, and still lifes of oysters. Named one of Buzzfeed’s “Top 100 Figurative Painters Working Right Now” in 2017 and 2018, Robbins has shown her paintings throughout the country and in Europe. She is represented in prestigious private and museum collections, including the Howard A. & Judith Tullman Collection in Chicago, the Count-Ibex Collection in Germany, and the Meam in Barcelona. Robbins’ work has been shown at several premier galleries for hyper-realist art, including Louis K. Meisel Gallery, Anthony Brunelli Fine Art, MADoran, Robert Lange Gallery, and RJD Gallery. In addition, the Rockwell Museum in Corning, New York (a Smithsonian affiliate) The Wausau Museum of Art in Wausau, Wisconsin, and the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) in Barcelona, Spain, have all selected her paintings for exhibition. In 2021, The Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY, invited her to exhibit her entire body of current artwork to be included in their tri-annual exhibit called “3 Americans: Contemporary masters of realism.”
Robbins earned her BFA in Graphic Design from the State University of New York at New Paltz and owned a successful boutique graphic design for many years. In 2008, she closed her business and devoted herself full time to painting, a medium in which she is largely self-taught. Robbins lives and works near Rhinebeck, NY.
artist statement
As our current cultural climate threatens to encroach on freedom of choice, expression, sexuality and equity, my work serves to echo the reality of the American experience, one that is diverse, fluid and multifaceted. My nude and portrait paintings tell the stories of ordinary people from all walks of life with an undertone of defiance and irreverence for societal norms regarding gendered ideas of behavior, identity, and sexuality.
In much of my work I try to subvert relationships between the model and the audience, allowing a dialogue between the two to begin. The composition of each defiant portrait is achieved by finding that place between the humorous and poignant, a kind of intimacy that goes beyond my relationship with the model. These sensations are an important part of my practice. For example, intimacy and a certain tenderness is also at the core of my Oyster still life series. These studies of the inner beauty of such succulent creatures express a certain robust appreciation of the tactile, the feminine and as such my identity as a woman. This is further reflected in my rebellious nude works, and I would ask my viewers to consider that I am a woman painting nude women, and as such my work reflects both the challenge and richness of this experience. It seems that my subjects seem to emerge from my pictures alternately bold and vulnerable and yet always beautiful even in the most unusual ways. This layered intimacy is meant to reflect the diverse nature of the human experience.
selected exhibitions
2022
National Contemporary Realism, An Invitational Group Show, MA Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK
The Listening Room, Robert Lange Gallery, Charleston, SC
2022 Mod Portrait, Sala Bantierra de Zaragoza, Zaragoza and Museo Meam de Barcelona, Spain
2021
Great painters of international realism in 20×20, Einaudi Palace, Chivasso, Turin, ITALY
Subject: The Object, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts on Artsy
The Summer Show, Bernay Fine Art, Great Barrington, MA
NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY REALISM, An Invitational Group Show, MA Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK
International Women’s Day Exhibit, Meam Museum, Barcelona, Spain
3 AMERICANS: Masters, Muirhead, Robbins, Contemporary American Greats, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY
Out of the Blue, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts on Artsy
31 Faces, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts on Artsy
Pocket Size, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts on Artsy
2020
10th Anniversary Exhibit, Dacia Gallery, New York, NY
Something Red, Bernay Fine Art, Great Barrington, MA
NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY REALISM, An Invitational Group Show, MA Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK
Process, Robert Lange Gallery, Charleston, SC
UNFINISHED BUSINESS, Bernay Fine Art, Great Barrington, MA
Women Artists Exhibition, Dacia Gallery, New York, NY
HERSTORY, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts on Artsy
2019
FOMO, Modern Love Club, New York, NY
Movie Night, Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY
Gallery Artelibre 1999-2019 – 20 years commemoration, Meam Museum, Barcelona, Spain
Looking West: An Exhibition Highlighting Works by American Women Artists, Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs,
CO
The “X” Factor: Works by XIV Women Artists, Bernay Fine Art, Great Barrington, MA
2019 International Biennial Portrait Competition, WMOCA, Wausau , WI
Painting Today, International Women’s Day, March 8 – May 5, Meam Museum, Barcelona, Spain
Gallery Artelibre 1999-2019 – 20 years commemoration, Gallery Artelibre, Zaragoza, Spain
Food for Thought, Louis K. Meisel Gallery, February 28-April 30, New York, NY
ABFA 15 Year Anniversary Show, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Binghampton, NY
2018
Figurative Realism, Curated by Dirk Dzimirsky, Gallery at Zhou B Arts Center, Chicago
2nd Annual Juried Exhibition, Curated by Frank Bernarducci, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (WMOCA) WI
10th Annual Nude Exhibition, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Painting the Figure Now 2018, WMOCA, WI
13th Annual group show, International Guild of Realism, Sugarman Peterson Gallery, Sante Fe, NM
Recipe, The Vendue in association with Robert Lange Gallery, Charleston, SC
Fresh Start Collective, Hamptons Juried Art Show to benefit The Retreat, RJD Gallery, NY
Perspectives of the American Experience, 2018 Annual National Juried Exhibition, American Women Artists, Rockwell
Museum, Corning, NY
2017
Big Art Small Canvas, RJD Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY
First Annual Juried Exhibition, Curated by Alyssa Monks, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (WMOCA) WI
Poets and Artists, Arcadia Contemporary, Culver City, CA
Women Painting Women, RJD Gallery, South Hampton, NY
12th Annual group show, International Guild of Realism, Winfied Gallery, Carmel, CA
Attention to Detail, Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
Formation, A Painting Survey in conjunction with Poets & Artists, Bernarducci.Meisel, New York, NY
2016
Chévere, Sirona Fine Arts, Hallandale Beach, FL
Women Painting Women, RJD Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY
TWELVE, Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
2016 Mod Portrait, Sala Bantierra de Zaragoza, Zaragoza and Museo Meam de Barcelona, Spain
2015
Trio Exhibition, Oil Water Bronze, Sirona Fine Arts, Hallandale Beach, FL
7th Annual NUDES Exhibition, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Immortality and Vulnerability, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL
The Artists gaze: Seeing women in the 21st Century, Sirona Fine Arts, Hallandale Beach, FL
2011
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Show, London, United Kingdom
Solo Exhibition, Eight Portrait Peaces, Brill Gallery, North Adams, MA
2010
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Show, London, United Kingdom
selected honors, awards & collections
2022
Finalist and Spotlight award, American Women Artists, Kara, Spring Online Exhibit
2021
Finalist, Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Just Try and Stop Me
Acquired by the Meam, My Name is Clementine
2019
Winter Salon, International Guild of Realism, 2nd Place, Still Life Category, Fishers Island Oysters
2018
The Top 100 Figurative Painters Working Now, Buzzfeed
Finalist, 13th Annual group show, International Guild of Realism. Keep Calm and Eat Oysters
Finalist, American Women Artist Spring Online Juried Show, Smoking Dragon
Acquired by The Count Ibex Collection, I Will Survive and Davida
Finalist, 13th Annual Art Renewal Salon, Twosome
Finalists, 8th International Painting Annual, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, Serafina, Sativa Sunrise
2017
The Top 100 Figurative Realists Working Now, BuzzFeed
Finalist, American Women Artist National Juried Exhibition at the Rockwell Museum, Sativa Sunrise
Finalist, 1st Annual Juried Exhibition, WMOCA, Curated by Alyssa Monks, I Will Survive
Finalist, Artist Magazine Competition, Portraits/Figurative, Serafina
Finalist, 12th Annual group show, International Guild of Realism. 2 Oysters and a Spoon
Acceptance into The International Guild of Realism
Associate Member with distinction American Women Artists
The Puffin Foundation grant recipient for the project called “Oysters: The Art of Conserving a Species”
2016
Finalists, 12th Annual Art Renewal Salon, Sativa Sunrise and Oyster Selfie on Ice
Finalist, 2016 Mod Portrait, Sala Bantierra de Zaragoza, Zaragoza AND Museo Meam de Barcelona, Spain, Sativa Sunrise
Poets and Artists, 50 Memorable Painters of 2015, by GOSS183 Publishing Group
2015
Cover of Poets and Artists 62, Immortality and Vulnerability Issue, GOSS183 Publishing Group, She-Ra
Finalist, The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition
Acquired by The Howard and Judith Tullman Art Collection, Double Gulp
2014
Finalist, The Artist’s Magazine 31st Annual Art Competition, Mrs. McDonald
2013
2013 Ten memorable paintings, The Huffington Post Arts Blog, Mrs. McDonald
Acquired by The Howard and Judith Tullman Art Collection, Moxie
Acopal Exhibition of Contemporary American Realism Finalist, Molly and Zoe, 48” x 72”, Oil on Linen
2010/2011
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2010 Annual Show, The Rolling Buns, 48” x 72”, Oil on Linen. The Royal Society of
Portrait Painters 2011 Annual Show, Acacia and the Bowman, 48” x 72”, Oil on Linen
bibliography
2022
Interview: John Dalton Gently Does it Podcast
2021
Kloosterboer on Robbins, Arnot Museum Exhibit: 3 Americans
Kloosterboer on Women Painting All Over the World, Meam, Barcelona
2019
Clark Museum, Renoir: The body, The senses. Invitation to speak to compare of Renoir’s nude to my nude paintings.
Art Habens, ART Habens Contemporary Art Review, Special Edition
A review: Kloosterboer on Painting Today / Pintando Hoy at the MEAM
Meam Museum Press Video
An International Women’s Day Exhibition, Fine Art Connoisseur
Meam Opening Video speech by Lorena Kloosterboer
All Painting Today press, Meam Museum
Food For thought, Louis K. Meisel Gallery, The Wall Street Journal
2018
The Top 100 Figurative Painters Working Now, Buzzfeed
2017
The Top 100 Figurative Painters Working Now, September
Kloosterboer on Formation, January 2017
2016
Art in Good Taste, by Max Gillies, May/June Food Issue, Fine Art Connoisseur
Neither Painting Nor Disco Is Dead, And Here’s The Art Show To Prove It, by Priscilla Frank Arts Writer, The Huffington Post
Probing Portraits by Nadine Robbins, Ali Cavanaugh, and Gary Weisman at Sirona Fine Art, By Grace-Yvette Gemmell, Artsy Editorial
2015
Poets and Artists, 50 Memorable Painters of 2015, by GOSS183 Publishing Group
The World’s Greatest Erotic Art of Today, Volume 5, by Erotic Signature
On the Cover: Nadine Robbins, Jessica Jones, Chronogram
The Naked Truth, WAG Magazine, by Georgette Gouveia
Howard Tullman’s heavily caffeinated life, Shia Kapos, Crain’s Business Chicago
Cover of Poets and Artists 62, Immortality and Vulnerability Issue, by GOSS183 Publishing Group
2014
Unconventional Portraits and Oysters, Luxebeatmag.com
Featured in The Painted Nude Collection Saatchiart.com
10 Rather Eccentric Essays on Art, John Seed, The Huffington Post Arts Blog
2013
An Alluring Woman With Fries and McDonaldization in Art, By John Seed
10 Memorable Paintings from 2013 by John Seed, The Huffington Post Arts Blog