Throughout his artistic career Richard Roblin was deeply influenced by the realms of nature, art, and spirituality. His paintings are visual manifestations of the insights he uncovered in his every day life and travels, from vibrant architectural patinas in Mexico to sparkling sunsets in Bermuda, from sacred temples in India to quiet reflections in his studio in British Columbia.
This curated series of paintings is a testimony to Richard Roblin’s lifelong sources of inspiration. Within their palettes and compositions, we find traces of the elements that nourished his creative growth and expression.
Wave Length I, Acrylic on Canvas. 72" x 78"
Nature
Nature served as Richard Roblin’s first muse as a young artist in Saskatchewan, where early first sketchbooks were filled with luminous skies and expansive prairies. In his paintings through the years, one can find abstracted glimpses of the landscapes, elements, seasons, and natural wonders that inspired him along the way.
"Though the winter is upon us
like a crystal shawl
our spirits are sprouting
with the aspiring bulbs of spring
In the footlights
the orchestra of colours
plucks and vibrates
our every heart-string
The memory of summer
sparks forth
from our winter hearth
The flames
alert as morning blossoms
to the sun"
-Richard Roblin
"In 1961 I was in Vancouver living in English Bay. The days were exquisite and I spent most of them on the beach carving driftwood. The carving was a way of formulating my interest in calligraphic symbols and integrating them into my art. These miniature carvings acted as stamps which I could print into a composition. The shapes I chose were natural spirals. As the carved elements were in an abstracted language, they added to the mysterious and mesmerizing quality of the artworks."
- Richard Roblin on his nature inspired woodblock prints
Art
"A brush
it moves like a gentle breeze
across the lake
catching sun showers
it rides upon the page"
- Richard Roblin
An avid traveller and seeker, Richard Roblin studied various forms of calligraphy, architecture and design to inform his artistic process. Of his "Stain Painting" series, for example, Roblin writes: "My study of Japanese textile art influenced my painting techniques as I incorporated natural dyes in my painting process, combining it with other media such as modelling paste and acrylic mediums." These paintings were widely exhibited in Montreal, and are collected by both the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Arts.
Merce Cunningham, Acrylic and Dye on Canvas, 48" x 96
Left: Inclination, Acrylic on Canvas, 70" x 54" - Right: Awakening, Oil on Arches Paper, .40" x 26"
Left: Golden Mind Study, oil on Arches, 40” x 26” - Right: Morning, Oil on Arches, 40"x 26"
Spirituality
Richard Roblin writes: “I use the painted wall, in light and shadow, as a metaphor for the spiritual journey. The application of complementary colours, layer by layer, instills the impression of the dynamic flow of life and the creative spirit which pervades it.” His colour-field work and dynamic geometric abstraction mirror the dance of the soul, as it expands and ebbs and flows.
"On a distant mountain
sitting in a cave
wakened by a brilliant moon
a sage
a moment gave to gaze
upon the tranquil scene
his eyes wide open
he breathed a long pure sigh
his heart with longing filled
and with such beauty
he began to cry
His tears like nectar
flowed in a cascade
of milky light
and like a thread
it traced a path
so brilliant
through the fabric
of this deep green
forest night"
-Richard Roblin
Left: Parallel Universe, Acrylic on Canvas, 78" x 54" - Right: The Vision, Oil on Canvas, 48" x 36"
