NATURAL SCIENCE ILLUSTRATOR, ARTIST & PHOTOGRAPHER B.Sc. (Zoology) B.F.A. (Honours in Wildlife Illustration)
Rebecca Robinson has a creative eye with a passion for nature, art, photography and travel. Dedicated to pursuing her interests and determined to earn a living doing so, she has worked in a number of different fields: photography, natural science illustration and graphic design.
Rebecca has had the opportunity to live and travel extensively throughout the world. She was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1971 and grew up in Finland, Africa and America.
She later sought further education in Australia, graduating from the University of Melbourne in Australia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology in 1998.
Although she always managed to do a sketch now and again, her main focus at that time was science. It was not until her final year of study that she was encouraged to take her artistic talent seriously with the aim one day, perhaps, of marrying the two disciplines. Once Rebecca made the decision to finally give art the attention it deserved, there was no turning back.
She then went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with Honours in Wildlife Illustration, at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia in 1999. Early in the year, she won first prize of the Black and White Illustration division Australian Entomological Society Insect Illustration Competition. Then in August 1999 she was awarded winner of the Margaret Senior National Parks and Wildlife Scholarship for Plant and Wildlife Illustration.
Shortly after leaving the course Rebecca was offered a part-time position in the U.S. at the art and graphics department of the Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). In 2001 she left UCSB to become a professional freelance natural science illustrator and photographer.
In October 2003 she participated in a joint exhibition "The Art of Conservation", at the prestigious Karpeles Manuscript Museum, Santa Barbara CA, USA (www.rain.org/~karpeles/)
For the next three years she worked predominantly for one US client producing highly detailed watercolour paintings of flora and fauna. In September 2006, she exhibited this work as part of: "Artistry & Necessity: Remarkable Women Illustrators" at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara CA, USA.
Since then she has sold most of her work to private collectors, learning institutions, and has had her work published in books internationally.
She enjoys working in various mediums including watercolour, pen & ink, pencil, pastel, airbrush, digital, illustration and photography.
Natural Science Illustration is a meticulous process that involves research and observation as well as the artistic and creative challenges that are presented in any type of artwork. But for Rebecca these preliminary aspects are just as important for her motivation, inspiration and growth as an artist. Very often, for her, getting to know her subject, quietly, patiently, with sensitivity, respect and always with a questioning, open mind is just as enjoyable as applying that infamously tantalizing last stroke of the brush.
Art and photography is a means by which she can contribute to environmental conservation and education. She hopes that her work may spark curiosity and encourage a deeper understanding, and appreciation of nature. It allows Rebecca to work within her interests and to earn a living doing what she loves most.
Despite the persistent demand for illustration work and travel photography jobs, she maintains a strong desire for further creative expression, artistic growth and independence within her own art. This nomadic lifestyle has presented many unique and rare opportunities resulting in the accumulation of a large and highly collectable body of work, predominantly Australasian images.
With a particular interest in fine art photography and influence from her painting background she prefers to use the medium as a canvas - blurring the line between a journalistic, documentary style of photography and abstract, contemporary art.
Rebecca Lives and works from her studio home in Daylesford, Victoria, Australia
EDUCATION
1998-1999: Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours in Wildlife Illustration) University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
1996-1998: Bachelor of Science (Zoology) University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
1990-1996: Associates Diploma in Biology Santa Barbara City College, CA, USA
1986-1990: Santa Barbara High School, CA, USA
EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
6 November – 24 December 2010: Artwork & Photography ‘one in ten’ - Joint exhibition by Rebecca Robinson & Darroch Donald Gallery 775 Flinders, VIC, Australia www.775artandcraft.com.au
24 April - 3 May 2009: Biological Illustrations ‘2009 GLEN LYON ART SHOW’ - Joint Exhibition Glenlyon Shire Hall Daylesford-Malmsbury Rd, Glenlyon, Australia
16-19 April 2009: Artwork & photography ‘ART MELBOURNE 2009’- Joint Exhibition Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne, Australia
9 June – 3 September 2006: Biological Illustrations "Artistry & Necessity: Remarkable Women Illustrators": Joint Exhibition Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Santa Barbara CA, USA (www.sbnature.org/index.php) (www.sbnature.org/collections/maximus/artistry.php)
1 - 31 December 2003: Solo exhibition: Artwork Montecito Bank and Trust - Solo Exhibition Santa Barbara California, USA
1 October – 31 December 2003: Artwork "The Art of Conservation” - Joint Exhibition Karpeles Manuscript Museum Santa Barbara CA, USA (www.karpeles.com)
5 - 19 May 2003: Solo exhibition: Artwork Montecito Bank and Trust - Solo Exhibition Santa Barbara California, USA
20 Nov - 3 Dec 1999: "Aerial, Terrestrial, Aquatic" - Joint Exhibition Plant & Wildlife Illustration Honours Class University of Newcastle Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney, NSW, Australia
5 - 15 Nov 1999: 'Fusion' - Joint Exhibition The Faculty of Architecture, Building & Design University of Newcastle The Newcastle Regional Museum Newcastle, NSW, Australia
23 Sept 1999: Artwork Award: Highly Commended Maitland City Art Gallery Plant and Wildlife Illustration Competition Newcastle, NSW, Australia
2 Oct 1999: Artwork Award: First Prize - Black and White Illustration division Australian Entomological Society Insect Illustration Competition Australia
16 Aug 1999: Award: Winner The Margaret Senior/National Parks and Wildlife Scholarship for Plant and Wildlife Illustration, University of Newcastle Newcastle, NSW, Australia
WORK EXPERIENCE
2010 - present: Gallery Manager Overwrought metalworks and design Daylesford, VIC, Australia www.overwrought.com.au
2010 - present: Artwork and Photography Ugg and More Daylesford (Represented by) Daylesford, VIC, Australia www.uggandmore.com.au
2005 - present: Owner/Partner & Principal Artist/Photographer FIREBRAND Concept Design Production Daylesford, VIC, Australia
2008 - present: Artwork and Photography Gallery 775 (Represented by) Flinders, VIC, Australia www.775gallery.com
(8 months) May 2009 - January 2010: Co-Manager & Principal Artist GALLERY 131 131 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Melbourne, VIC 3016, Australia
2009 (1 year): Co-researcher / co-photographer 'Footprint New Zealand Colour Guide (with Best Photo Locations)’: 1st Edition, Footprint Travel Guides. Paperback, 320 page, full colour. Average print run 8,000. www.footprinttravelguides.com
Sept 2007 - Jan 2007: Photography Thomas Cook Travel Guides PO Box 227, Peterborough, PE3 8SB, United Kingdom www.thomascookpublishing.com ‘East Coast Australia’ 2008 ‘S-E Coast Australia’ 2008
August 2007: Watercolour Artwork The University of New Hampshire Magazine: The University of New Hampshire – Editorial and Creative Services New Hampshire, USA
(4 years) 2005-2009: Natural Science Illustration Saturdaze: Animal Diversity Project Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, California, USA
(3 years 6 months): May 2006 – October 2009: Author, digital illustration (cartography) and/or photography Woodslane Press Sydney, NSW, Australia www.woodslane.com.au 'Best of the Mornington Peninsula' 2009 'Sydney’s Best Picnic Spots, Parks & Reserves' 2009 'Sydney’s Best Beaches & Rock Baths' 2009 'Sydney’s Best Bush, Park & City Walks' 2008 'Melbournes's Best Picnic Spots & Beaches' 2007 'Sydney’s Best Picnic Spots & Beaches 2007 'Sydney's Best Harbour & Coastal Walks' 2006
June 2005: Natural Science Illustration Saturdaze: Sea Centre Project Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, California, USA
June - July 2004: Illustration Community Environmental Center Marine Science Institute / Ocean O' Graphics University of California Santa Barbara, California, USA Graphic design and illustration
(1 year) Jan 2001 - Jan 2002: Illustration Los Marineros Project Museum of Natural History Santa Barbara, California, USA
(I month) Nov - Dec 2001: Pen and Ink Illustrations Footprint Travel Guides Bath, United Kingdom www.footprinttravelguides.com 'Footprint New Zealand Handbook’ : 1st Edition, Footprint Travel Guides. Paperback, 736 page, full colour. Average print run 8,000.
(5 months) Jan - June 2001: Medical Illustration Saturdaze: Molecular Project Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, California, USA
(14 months) Apr 2000 - Jun 2001: Digital illustration, architectural rendering and traditional biological illustration. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Ocean-O-Graphics (Design department) University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California, USA www.msi.ucsb.edu
Dec 2000: Illustration Saturdaze: Online Biology Courses Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, California, USA
1998: Pen and ink illustration: Vertebrate Zoology Practical manual plate University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia David J. Young (Associate Professor and Reader in Evolutionary Biology)
1998: Pen and ink illustration: Marine Invertebrate Zoology T - shirt design University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia David L. Macmillan (Professor and Head of Department of Zoology)
