iARTistas (Summer 2013) | Page 15

annie murphyrobinson Born in 1967, Annie Murphy-Robinson is an artist living and working in Sacramento, California. Annie primarily works with charcoal, in a style and process unique to her, creating large scale drawings. Her B.A. in Fine Art is from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and she received her M.A from California State University, Sacramento. In addition to creating her own work, Annie passes on her knowledge daily by teaching high school ceramics and art. The work that Annie creates is haunting - the lighting is dramatic, the ?ickering shadows bring to mind the paintings of Carrivagio. Murphy-Robinson’s greatest in?uence would be the work of famed photographer Sally Mann, especially in her controversial “Family Pictures” series. Annie’s work has been deemed controversial as well for many of the same reasons that Sally Mann’s had. She states that “a pre-pubescent child with her shirt o? should never be controversial, the problem more than likely lies with the viewer” She sees her portraits of her daughters as kind of diary, a peek into her private world. Annie has received numerous awards, including two juror’s awards and best in show at the California State Fair, the highest award possible. In addition she has been recognized and awarded top honors in numerous competitions across the United States and in Europe. Annie’s most recent solo exhibitions were held at the La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Hollywood, CA and the Natsoulas Gallery in Davis, CA. Other shows include solo exhibitions at B. Sakata Garo and the Solomon Dubnick Gallery in Sacramento. Annie has also done many commission works; most notably the commissioned pastel of Kevin Johnson which hangs in Sacramento’s City Hall.