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Style shifts

Robyn Gibson has been painting for over 20 years and in that time has developed several styles, all of them figurative but each quite distinctive. One unifying theme has been a light, often humorous touch, exemplified in the still life on the previous page. This relates to a range of quirky, colourful, childlike landscapes in which trees and hills resemble cushions. In contrast, Gibson’s seascapes are more expressionistic, with sweeping atmospheric vistas into which the blocky shapes of ships and piers intrude. Different again are her surrealistic smoking and laughing machines, sitting on what could be a tabletop or in a desert. Her portraits and isolated figures are vulnerable and poignant. Other paintings with a thick impasto are almost abstract, but are always thoughtful and controlled. A visit to her website, robyngibsonart.com, will reveal the full range of Gibson’s under-appreciated talent. Warwick Brown

ROBYN GIBSON

Lives in: Devonport, Auckland

Dealer Galleries: Warwick Henderson, Newmarket, Auckland; Depot Artspace, Devonport, Auckland

Price range: $400-$4000

Works shown: Wharf, acrylic on canvas, 1000 x 780mm