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.

 

The past twenty five years Robyn has lived and worked as a professional artist in the Hunter Valley, participating in over 90 exhibitions, with many galleries exhibiting her work in Newcastle, Melbourne, Sydney and ACT.

Her work is represented: private collections in Europe & USA.

 

 

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.

Six 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.

 

In 2007 Robyn’s painting “Landscape 128 Images” was Finalist the Country Energy Landscape Prize, Dubbo Regional Art Gallery.

 

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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 At present their studio and home are in East Gresford a rural village in the Hunter Valley NSW, Australia.

 

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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."

 

- Robyn Stanton Werkhoven 2023.