On completing her studies at the National Art School in Sydney in 1973, Sally Robinson forged a successful career as a fine-art printmaker. After twenty years producing screen prints depicting the wild landscapes of Australia and Antarctica, Sally need a creative change and returned to her first love, painting. However so many years producing screen prints meant that stencilling was a large part of her technical repertoire to build up the strong colours and textures that had become her trademark, so she adapted those techniques to the application of paint on canvas with the more intimate subject matter of portraiture.
Since first exhibiting her portrait in 1999, Sally Robinson has had her portraits regularly exhibited in the Archibald, the Archibald Salon des Refuses, the Portia Geach and Doug Moran Portrait Prize Exhibitions.
Portraits in Public/Corporate Collections:
Mike Archer 2000 – collection Australian Museum, Sydney
Hazel Hawke 2000 – collection John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, Perth
Phillip Law 2002 – collection Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart
Glenn McGrath 2003 – collection National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
John Dwyer 2005 – collection Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney
Keith Peters 2006 – collection Academy of Medical Sciences, London UK
Mary Gaudron 2006 – collection NSW Bar Association, Sydney
Preferred Method of Working
The pixellated images we are bombarded with in newspapers, magazines, on billboards, TV and computer screens have always excited me. I use dots, dashes and/or lines to produce a similarly complex aggregation of colour and tone that flicker across the painting’s surface yet in their juxtaposition, give sufficient information to create an accurate likeness of the portrait subject.
Number of sittings:
At least two. During an initial meeting with the subject I take photos – dozens of them – while I try to get to know the subject, and read their unique body language. Then I work alone in my studio until the portrait is broadly mapped out in colour and line. At this stage it is useful to have a sitting to redraw details and put life into the image. It is desireable to have a third sitting when the painting is almost completed to make final adjustments.
Approximate price range:
Depending on size $6,600 – $16,500 (inc GST)
Preferred Subject Matter
Any face can be a challenge to paint. I have also been fortunate enough to paint many of my heroes: Hazel Hawke, Phillip Law, Glenn McGrath and Mary Gaudron
Shows and Prizes:
Over recent years I have regularly been accepted for the Archibald, Salon des Refuses, Portia Geach, Shirley Hannan and Doug Moran Portrait Prize Exhibitions. My portraits are in many public, corporate and private collections (see above).
Professional CV (Abridged)
Including Screen prints of Australian and Antarctic landscapes, abstract paintings and portraits.
1952 Born in England
1960 Emigrated to Australia
1970.73 Studied at the National Art School, Sydney
1974-83 Designer at the Australian Museum, Sydney
1976-88 Lecturer at Alexander Mackie College/City Art Institute, Sydney
Currently working full-time as an artist and designer
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION(since 1989)
1989 Perth Galleries, Perth, Western Australia
Stuart Gerstman Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria
1991 aGOG Gallery, Canberra, ACT
1993 Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1994 Freeman Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
aGOG Gallery, Canberra, ACT
Australian Galleries, Melbourne, Victoria
Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
Perth Galleries, Perth WA
2004 Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS (since 1989)
1989 Prints and Australia: Pre-settlement to Present, Australian National Gallery, ACT
1990 Hymns/City Songs, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
1992 Animals On Paper, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
1994 Everyday Life, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney and touring Regional Art Galleries
1995 Mary MacKillop – A Tribute, Power House Museum, Sydney and tour
1996 Art at UNSW, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, UNSW
1997 Site and Sensibility, S. H. Ervin Gallery Sydney
ANARE Jubilee Art Exhibition, Melbourne, Geelong VIC
1997-99 International Print Triennial Cracow ‘97, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Brazil
1998-99 Australian Prints, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
1999 Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney and tour
1999-03 We Are Australian, tour NSW, ACT, VIC, SA
2000 Archibald Salon des Refusés, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Suburb, Museum of Sydney, Sydney
Artists in the Field, Museums and Art Galleries of The Northern Territory, Darwin
Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2000-01 Federation – Australian Art & Society 1901 – 2001, National Gallery of Australia,
Canberra and tour
2001 Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney and tour
Archibald Salon des Refusés, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2002 Without Classification: Hazel Hawke and the 1980s, John Curtin University of Technology, Perth
Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2003 Impressions of Antarctica, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT
Contemporary Landscape: Tasmanian Connections, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2004 Archibald Salon des Refuses, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2004-05 Masters of Fare, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
2005 Portrait Artists Australia Exhibition, Embassy of Australia, Washington DC, USA
2006 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Exhibition, State Library of NSW and tour
2006-7 Sydney Prints: 45 years of the Sydney Printmakers, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, and tour
Marks & Motifs: Prints from the PCA Collection QUT Art Museum, Brisbane, and tour
2007 IMAGinING Antarctica, John Curtin University Gallery, Perth
Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Exhibition, State Library of NSW and tour
2007 ‘IMAGinING Antarctica’ John Cutin University Gallery, Perth
‘Doug Moran National Portrait Prize’, State Library of NSW and tour to Adelaide, SA; Geraldton, WA; Hervey Bay, QLD.
‘Portia Geach Portrait Exhibition’, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2008 ‘Mrs Prime Minister’, Old Parliament House, Canberra
‘Blake Prize Exhibition’, NAS Gallery, Sydney and tourÂ
REPRESENTED IN THE COLLECTIONS OF:
Australian National Gallery, Canberra; National Portrait Gallery, Canberra; National Gallery of New Zealand, Auckland; State Galleries of NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, Northern Territory; Regional Art Galleries in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia; Artbank; Parliament House, Canberra; Parliament House, Sydney; The Australian Museum, Sydney; Australian Antarctic Division, Hobart; John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, Perth; Academy of Medical Sciences, London UK: Fitzroy Library, Victoria; Universities in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia; City Councils; corporate and private collections.
AWARDS AND COMMISSIONS:
1972 Gosford Shire Prize for Painting
1973 Rowney Prize for Painting
1975 Member Print Commission for Print Council of Australia
1982 Tapestry Design Commission for Warrnambool Performing Arts Centre, Victoria
1983 Poster Design Commission for Artbank Travelling Exhibition
1984 Aerogramme Design Commission for Australia Post
1985 Print Commission for Beaufort Hotel, Darwin
1986 Print Commission for Art Gallery Society of NSW
1987 Print Commission for Kambala Girls’ School, Sydney
1990-1 Print Commission for CSR Building Materials, Australia
1991-2 Australian Antarctic Division Humanities Program Award – Artist, travel to Mawson, Davis and Heard Island Research Stations
1992 Aerogramme Design Commission for Australia Post
1993 Frama Stamp Design Commission for Australia Post
2005 Portrait Commission – Prof John Dwyer for Prince of Wales Hospital
2006 Portrait Commission – Justice Mary Gurdon for NSW Bar Association
Portrait Commission – Prof Sir Keith Peters for Academy of Medical Sciences, London
Tapestry Commission for ANZ Bank by Victorian Tapestry Workshop
2007 Portrait Commission – Regius Professor Sir Keith Peters for Medical School, Cambridge University UK