About

         Robin Brooks

Artist Statement

I am a Maine-based visual artist and former art teacher working in painting, drawing, printmaking, and mixed-media. Recently I have been shifting from nature-based representation to a new vocabulary in abstraction, creating work that exists in the liminal space between perception and experience. I work out of a studio in my home and print at Circling the Square Fine Art Press in Gardiner, Maine. Additionally, I practice and teach tai chi and qigong in the community. My studio art practice is informed by the forces of energy that work on our bodies and help us to sense the world around us.

Where to see my work

I participate in exhibitions at two midcoast galleries: River Arts in Damariscotta and the Maine Art Gallery in Wiscassett and with members of the Union of Maine Visual Artists. Additionally, my original fine art prints can be seen at Circling the Square Fine Art Press which is open by appointment or on Friday and Saturdays. For announcements of current and upcoming exhibitions please check in with my blog. I welcome inquiries from curators, critics, writers, and others about licensing my images for publication or inclusion in exhibitions. Please visit Contact page or email me at robinellenb@gmail.com to inquire about purchasing original artwork, to schedule a studio visit, and for all other inquiries.

Workshops and Classes

I have offered numerous workshops and classes for children and adults in various aspects of art-making including drawing, painting, collage, and mixed media puppets. I also teach tai chi and qigong for wellness through Merrymeeting Adult Education in Topsham. My teaching artist profile on Creative Ground offers an overview of recent projects and residencies: https://www.creativeground.org/profile/robin-brooks

Please contact me to plan your next workshop or seminar. I am also available for speaking engagements, consulting, and commissioned artwork.

photo by Jonathan Riggleman, 2020

Personal

Robin Brooks was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 23rd, 1957.  Born and raised in New Jersey, she graduated with honors from West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey in 1975. Her art teachers, Anne Dobek and Joyce Crain were instrumental in Robin’s decision to pursue further studies in visual arts. She taught visual art for forty years in a variety of educational settings from preschool through university. A long-time community activist, Robin volunteers for causes that promote social and environmental justice.  She resides in Topsham, Maine with her husband Jon Riggleman, a high school English, film, and philosophy teacher, and their cat Toshi. They have one grown son, Benjamin who is currently serving in the U.S. military as a linguist specializing in Arabic.

Education

  • Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC), 200-Hour Teaching Certification in Qigong and Tai Chi with Roger Jahnke, OMD, April 2019.
  • Parsons School of Design, New York , N.Y. – M.F.A., Painting, 1984
  • Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts – B.F.A., Art Education, 1979

C.V. 

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