Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Robyn Ansell has been selected as one of the four artists of the gallery’s second “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Robyn will have a month-long solo art exhibition and will be featured on the gallery’s front page, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Robyn Ansell lives in South Africa and she is a painter specializing in realist African wildlife and portraiture. Robyn will be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign and as well in their extensive social media network. In addition, Robyn will be featured on the gallery’s YouTube channel, with an event catalog and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition; 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These three elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in an individual month-long solo art exhibition. This is the second “Solo Art Series” Art Competition the gallery has conducted.
Below is Robyn’s Artist’s Biography, her Artist’s Statement, along with 15 of Robyn’s paintings. We hope that you will take the time to read Robyn’s information and to take a look at her magnificent portraiture and wildlife art.
Artist Biography:
Robyn Ansell was born in May 1988 in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. She loved doing creative things from early childhood; growing up with artistic parents she was always encouraged to indulge her creative side, whilst spending as much time as possible doing any activity related to wildlife and/or conservation.
Robyn discovered oils as a medium in her late teens and has never looked back. Being inspired by anything that has an African feel to it, she gets great satisfaction from painting portraits and wildlife. Robyn attempts to capture realism in her work, looking at a scene and focusing on emulating colors and textures through various brush techniques she has developed and/or adapted to suit her particular style.
Robyn has been fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time living and working in the African bushveld. This has enhanced her understanding and appreciation for the detail, color and natural perfection which exists quietly and effortlessly in any part of the land which is truly wild and without the influence or interference of humanity.
After matriculating in 2006, Robyn came into contact with local South African Artist Steve Shooter who taught her invaluable fundamentals of oil painting.
Robyn’s time under Steve’s mentorship was cut short when she had the incredible opportunity to live and work in Botswana’s Tuli Block, which fuelled her ever-flourishing passion for the wilderness at full force. She has since completed her FGASA (field guide training course) and aside from visiting Tuli as often as opportunity allowed (her brushes, paints and canvases have made many trips back and forth across the Limpopo river) she also spent 2011 and 2012 working in Nambiti Private Game Reserve, working as a guide and hostess before returning home to pursue painting full time.
Robyn believes that working in the bushveld has been mutually beneficial to all aspects of her character. She considers herself very fortunate to have been able to live a lifestyle that is complementary to the many different interests she has, a lifestyle where her passion for music and painting fit right in. Most importantly the industry afforded her the opportunity to meet a great variety of people who have guided and encouraged her to pursue her artistic ventures.
Robyn finds simple, effortless perfection in the true spirit of untouched Africa and the plants, animals, colors and textures of which it consists. To sit quietly and attempt to recreate this on canvas is for her truly exciting and fulfilling.
Artist Statement:
My paintings are created slowly and thoughtfully. Using photographs as a reference I adapt and enhance the scene as I see fit. I love watching the process, the journey that the subject undergoes as the painting is gradually built up in layers, slowly coming to life with each new paint application. I am fascinated by detail. I love sitting quietly in my studio, experimenting with brush techniques in an attempt to create depth and texture.
I aim to showcase the pre-existing beauty that is naturally present in the people, plants, and animals of Africa, rather than having the focus being on myself and what it is I’m able to create.
If an audience is captivated and enthused by the finished product, if they can appreciate the effort, skill, and concentration that went into the construction of the piece, then I feel grateful and happy. That being said, if an audience is able to go beyond that, realizing that it is, in fact, the subject matter that is already beautiful and inspiring to begin with and that I, through personal appreciation, understanding and passion for that subject matter have simply used my abilities to recreate an accurate representation of this on canvas, it is then that I receive true fulfillment and satisfaction through my art. I’m not sure any artist can truly capture the magnificence and perfection that is wild Africa, though I certainly get a great deal of pleasure out of trying. It is after all the process of creating that should bring personal fulfillment, not just the feeling of accomplishment once the work is complete.
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