Nancy Robinson

I was born in New York City and currently live in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, USA. I am a painter. This photo of me was taken by Tony Nelson.
My current paintings tell the story of my daily life. Rather than illustrate my stories in confessional detail, with people and situations which are recognizable snapshots from my daily existence, I transform my personal experiences into archetypal stories and images which are universal and can be shared by all. I'm a natural-born storyteller, and during my college years I gravitated toward writing as a profession. Although I earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and have an enduring love for words, I've never been able to sustain the kind of passion for the craft of writing which has come naturally to me as a painter. So painting is the way I've chosen to tell my story, and oil painting is my medium of preference.

The style I use to depict my life is a meticulously-painted surrealism. In my art, as in my life, everything is confusing, hidden agendas abound, and daily life is a dream or a nightmare, depending on how one chooses to view it. I sometimes use humor in my art as a way of engaging the viewer and
inviting them to participate in a friendly dialogue about the issues I'm raising.
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SELECTED FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS2009, 2005 Artist Initiative Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board1997, 2001 Individual Artist Fellowship Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board2000 Travel and Study Grant, Jerome, Target and General Mills Foundations1997-2002 Jerome Scholarship, Women's Art Registry of Minnesota, Mentor Program1998 Jerome Artist Residency Grant, Blacklock Nature Sanctuary, Moose Lake, MNEDUCATIONLawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, Bachelor of Arts in EnglishSELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCEMinneapolis College of Art and Design, 1999-2001, Adjunct Faculty, Fine Arts DivisionSELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS2009 "Sin and Guilt:Paintings by Nancy Robinson", Minneapolis Institute of Arts2007 "Nancy Robinson: Glass Gallery Mini Show", Flanders Contemporary Art Gallery, Minneapolis, MN2001 "Nancy Robinson: Recent Paintings", Flanders Contemporary Art Gallery2000 "Nancy Robinson", Artemesia Gallery, Chicago, IL1997 "Nancy Robinson", Hamline University, Saint Paul, MNSELECTED 2-PERSON EXHIBITIONS2001 "Residual Matter: Nancy Robinson and Erica Spitzer Rasmussen", A.I.R. Gallery, NYC1997 "Nancy Robinson and Melissa Stang", Flanders Contemporary Art GallerySELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS2002-2004, 2006-2008 A.I.R. Gallery, NYC2002-2010 Bird x Bird,...