Robyn Stanton Werkhoven was born in Penrith, NSW 1952.

 

Commencing her career as a Graphic Designer in Sydney,

Australia in the seventies, after attending three years at Randwick Graphic Design College.

 

Specialising in silk screen designs for clothing and textiles, designing for selective Sydney clothing boutiques and later opened her own business “Armin Designs” in Wollongong.

 

Robyn, who created “Studio La Primitive” with artist Eric Werkhoven in the 80’s, has been involved in the visual arts for many years– including: performance/event art, painting, sculpture, jewellery design and management of galleries.

 

Establishing Tighes Hill Gallery, Newcastle, as co-director with Diana Middleby in 2003.

 

Since 1988 Robyn has lived and worked as a professional artist in the Hunter Valley, participating in over 118 exhibitions, with many galleries exhibiting her work in Newcastle, Melbourne, Sydney and ACT.

Her work is represented: private collections nationally and in Europe.

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Portraiture is a keen interest, with celebrities and dignitaries included in her portfolio.

Her portrait of Jenny Kee, iconic fashion designer was a Finalist in the Portia Geach Award for Portraiture 2011.

Seven times portraits have been short listed for the Portia Geach Memorial Award for Portraiture in Sydney.

Robyn was one of nine artists, who painted portraits of local Hunter identities for the National Heritage Trust Project, Maitland, 2006 - 2008.

Since November 2009 Robyn is an exhibiting member with Portrait Artists Australia.

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In 2013 Robyn decided to establish an independent online art and literary magazine, featuring artists interviews, exhibitions, art news, poetry and essays.

The Zine is free, with no advertising from sponsors. It is just something Robyn wanted to do for the Arts, which has been her life’s passion.

What began with 50 pages is now over 200 pages and reached fifty-seven issues. The Zine has featured over 382 artists including many high profile Australian & international artists.

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Over the years Robyn has initiated and curated group exhibitions in Newcastle with dramatic themes… Preparations for the Final Journey, A Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain, Nightmares, Blood and the last major exhibition Concerning Peace held in Maitland Regional Art Gallery in 2018. All the exhibitions included local and nationally recognised artists. Over seventeen thousand people attended Concerning Peace.

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For the past years Eric & Robyn Werkhoven have collaborated on a unique series of drawings and paintings celebrating everyday life “exploring the world of human caprice, with sheer delight and a touch of irony” for exhibitions in Australia and Europe.

Their collaborative paintings on fabric were selected for Art / Fashion Event in Basel Switzerland, 15 world artists, T –SHIRT CULT 2010.

The Blake Art Prize 2010 – collaborative drawing with Eric Werkhoven was chosen for the Director’s Cut Exhibition.

 

In 2011 Robyn and Eric Werkhoven presented a major exhibition of collaborative works - CAPRICE “a holy tirade of the heart uncovered” at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland NSW.

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In 2014 Robyn's portrait of the iconic Australian fashion designer Jenny Kee was selected by the Cultural Attache for a Portrait Artists Australia Exhibition in the Australian Embassy, Washington DC, USA.

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Robyn's studio and home are in East Gresford, a rural village in the Hunter Valley NSW, Australia. At present she is working on a new series of figurative paintings for forthcoming exhibitions and working with a group of fellow artists to establish Gresford Community Art Gallery to open on Saturday 28th September 2024.

 

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ARTIST STATEMENT

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"Since early childhood I have been fascinated with drawing or painting the human figure, especially the face.

This led me to exploring and expressing the dynamic and delicate nuances of the human form and psyche.

 

My paintings maybe called ‘contemporary figurative’, deploying vivid colour and strong line.

Portraiture is a keen interest, with celebrities and dignitaries included in my portfolio.

 

An exciting high light of my artistic career is the unique collaborative work with artist / sculptor Eric Werkhoven'.

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Robyn believes art and culture are important for a healthy society.

 

- Robyn Stanton Werkhoven 2024.