Bio
Robin Cole, born in Denver, Colorado in 1985, is a painter, draftswoman, and encaustic artist working in the tradition of realism. Though related to the familiar genres of landscape painting and portraiture, her work explores a slightly unusual, more nuanced and closely experienced relationship with nature that is at once otherworldly and scientific.
Cole received her BA in English at Colorado College as a Boettcher Foundation scholar before making a shift in her studies and career to pursue fine art. She later completed the post-baccalaureate program in Studio Art at the Burren College of Art in County Clare, Ireland, and went on to earn a Master’s of Fine Art in Drawing from the Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) in 2013. These pursuits were supported and informed by a variety of artist residencies including the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, and Spiro Arts. Following completion of her MFA, Cole stayed on for five years as faculty at LCAD, where she was able to utilize both her literary and artistic backgrounds to teach a variety of undergraduate drawing and graduate writing courses. She is member of Oil Painters of America, and a Signature Member of Portrait Society of America. In 2018, Cole received a second artist grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation in support of her current work, as a follow-up to her initial grant in 2012 for her unique encaustic drawings. In spring of the following year, Cole returned to her native Colorado with her family; she now works and teaches at her home studio in Arvada, the Art Students League of Denver, and online at Made for Artists.
Education
MFA, The Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2013
Post-Baccalaureate, The Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009
BA in English (honors, magna cum laude, phi beta kappa) Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO 2007
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Shows
Genesis – Gallery 1261, Denver, CO & The Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO Forthcoming March 2024
Flicker – Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2020
Animas – Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2018
Afterglow – Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 2015
Instinct (MFA Thesis Exhibition), Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 2013
Still Point – Boom Gallery, Denver, CO 2010
Elements – Eron Johnson Architectural Antique Showroom, Denver, CO 2009
Genus – Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009
Two & Three Person Shows
Natural Sublime – Broadmoor Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO 2021
Carbon: Elemental Experiences – Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO 2013
Nature | Nurture – Exhibit [A] Gallery, Long Beach, CA 2012
Selected Group Shows
Drawn: From the Source — Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO 2023
LA Art Show — Gallery 1261, Los Angeles, CA 2021, 2023
Bow Mar Plein Air Paintout and Exhibition — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2021, 2023
Oil Painters of America Western Regional — Illume Gallery, St. George, UT & Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX 2020, 2022
Life Beginning, Life Renewed — Parker Arts, Culture, and Event Center, Parker, CO 2022
Oil Painters of America National Exhibition — Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO 2022
Colorado Governor’s Art Show – Loveland Museum Gallery, Loveland, CO 2021
Contemporary Realism — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2019
Small Works — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2019
Black and White — Parker Arts, Culture, and Event Center, Parker, CO 2018
Women of Influence — Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs, CO 2018
Contemporary Realism — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2018
In Search of the Real — Faculty Show, LCAD Gallery on Forest, Laguna Beach, CA 2018
Exordium — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2017
Exquisite Abandon — Laguna College of Art + Design Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 2017
Trickle Down — Del Mar Art Academy, San Clemente, CA 2016
Large Works — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2016
Spaces — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2016
Renaissance of Realism — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2015
Collector’s Choice – Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA (juried exhibition & benefit auction) 2015
Postscript — Russel Gallery and the Burren College of Art, Co. Clare, Ireland 2015
In Search of the Real — Faculty Show, LCAD Gallery on Forest, Laguna Beach, CA 2015
Inner Journey/Visual Experience — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2014
Small Works — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2014
Group Show — Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2014
5th Annual Drawing Discourse — University of North Carolina, Asheville 2014
Cross Pollinate – Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 2013
Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA 2013
Emanation – Linus Galleries, Pasadena, CA (juried exhibition) 2013
Connections – Lynn J. Gallery, Buena Park, CA 2012
Shadows – Linus Galleries, online (juried exhibition)2012
Group Show –Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 2012
Into the Woods, Capitol Christmas Tree, traveling exhibition originating in CO 2012
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Headquarters, St. Croix Falls, MN 2012
1942 – Orange County Great Park, Irvine, CA 2012
Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA (curated by Peter Frank) 2012
Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (curated by Peter Frank) 2012
Out of the Gray – Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH 2012
Triggered Momentum – Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 2011
Black and White – Linus Gallery, Long Beach, CA 2011
RED Contemporary Art, Steamboat, CO 2010
Eron Johnson Architectural Antique Showroom, Denver, CO 2010
Place, Placeness, and Perception – Burren College of Art Gallery, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009
Standing Back – Burren College of Art Gallery, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009
Gallery 3000, Cherry Creek, CO 2007
Gallery Representation & Affiliation
Gallery 1261, Denver CO 2014 - present
Broadmoor Galleries, Colorado Springs, CO 2019 - present
Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 2013 - 2018
Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 2010 - 2015
Professional societies
Portrait Society of America, Signature Member 2020 - present
Oil Painters of America 2020 - present
Residencies
Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Taos, NM, 2014
Anderson Ranch, Snowmass, CO 2013
Spiro Arts Park City, UT 2011
Hypatia in the Woods Shelton, WA 2011
Eastern Frontier Educational Foundation Norton Island, ME 2010
The Watershed Research Station (Science Museum of MN) Marine on St. Croix, MN 2009
The Burren College of Art Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009
Awards & Honors
Certificate of Excellence, Portrait Society of America, International Portrait Competition 2024
Finalist, Portrait Society of America, Members Only Competition 2024
Silver Medal, Associate Division – Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, Steamboat, CO 2022
First Place – Oil Painters of America Wet Paint Plein Air competition, Santa Fe, NM 2021
Signature Status, Portrait Society of America 2020
Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America Western Regional 2020
Certificate of Excellence, Portrait Society of America, International Portrait Competition 2019
Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation individual artist grant recipient – $18,000 2018
Art Renewal Center Salon finalist 2015
Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation individual artist grant recipient – $15,000 2012
Second Place, Shades of Gray competition – Drawing magazine 2012
Winner, Into the Woods — Capitol Christmas Tree juried art exhibition, emerging artist category 2012
Viewers’ Choice Award, Into the Woods — Capitol Christmas Tree juried art exhibition, emerging artist category 2012
Laguna College of Art and Design institutional grant – $7,000/yr 2011, 2012
Boettcher Foundation full-ride academic scholarship 2003
Publications
Western Art and Architecture Magazine, “Infinity and Divinity,” Feb - March 2024 p. 120-125
American Art Collector, “Embryonic Journey,” Jan 2024 p. 112-113
Voyage Denver & Shoutout Colorado, “Meet Robin Cole | Fine Artist & Art Instructor,” 2020, 2021
Western Art and Architecture Magazine, April - May 2021
International Artist Magazine, Portrait Society of America Signature Status spotlight, 2020
Western Art Collector Magazine, “Rise & Shine,” April 2019, p. 110-112
International Painting Annual 9 (INPA) Manifest Gallery, OH, 2019
American Art Collector Magazine, “Lifting the Veil,” October 2018, p. 120-121
International Drawing Annual 13 (INDA) Manifest Gallery, OH, 2019
Southwest Art Magazine, “Portfolio: Shades of Gray,” April, 2017
International Drawing Annual 10 (INDA) Manifest Gallery, OH, 2016
Ashley Rooney, Painted Sky: 106 Artists of the Rocky Mountain West, 1st Edition (Atglen: Schiffer, 2015)
Art Renewal Center Salon Catalog, 2015
International Drawing Annual 9 (INDA) Manifest Gallery, OH, 2015
International Drawing Annual 8 (INDA) Manifest Gallery, OH, 2014
Southwest Art Magazine, “Inner Journey/Visual Experience,” May 2014, p. 34-35 & back cover
5th Annual Drawing Discourse Catalogue — University of North Carolina, Asheville, 2014
Post-Modern Times journal, fall 2013
Southwest Art Magazine, “21 Under 31,” September, 2013
Drawing Magazine, “Shades of Gray,” Spring 2013, p.86
Out of the Gray: Manifest, volume 60, spread, 2012
Park City TV, artist profile, October, 2011
The Park Record newspaper, spotlight article “Step in & be Inspired,” July 20-22, C-1, 2011
Best of Photography Annual 2006, Photographer’s Forum, December 2006
Teaching Experience
Private Art Instructor and Mentor 2012 - present
Faculty, Scottsdale Artist School 2023 - present
Faculty, Made for Artists (online learning platform) 2020 - present
Faculty, Art Students League of Denver, Denver, CO 2020 - present
• Short Pose Figure Drawing
• Atmospheric Charcoal Drawing
• Florals: Shape, Design, Rhythm, and Color
• Charcoal Skies: Cloud Drawing
Adjunct Faculty, Pike’s Peak Community College, Colorado Springs, CO 2019
• Drawing 1-4
Visiting Artist/Faculty, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO 2018 - 2019
MFA Writing Coach, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2014 - 2018
MFA Mentor + Advisor, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2016 - 2017
Part-time MFA Faculty, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2014 - 2017
• The Writing Artist
• Thesis III
Part-time BFA Faculty, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2012 - 2017
• Experimental Drawing
• Fundamentals of Drawing
• Cast Drawing
• Investigations in Drawing (studio course for Art Educators)
• Portfolio Development
Adjunct Faculty, Irvine Valley College, Irvine, CA 2014 - 2017
• Life Drawing
• Fundamentals of Drawing
Teaching Assistant, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2012 - 2013
• Figure Drawing III & Special Topics
• Fundamentals of Drawing
• Fundamentals of Figure Drawing
• Painting II
• Watercolor
Guest Lecturer – Colorado College Advanced Landscape Drawing (in Seville, Spain) 2013
Assistant Teacher — Ah Haa School for the Arts, Telluride, CO 2009
Assistant Teacher – Colorado College Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (in Canterbury, England) 2008
demonstrations, lectures, and Additional workshops
Visiting Artist/Demonstrator & Workshop Instructor: Painting Expressive Foliage & Florals, Louisville Art Association, Louisville, CO 2021
Broadmoor Art Experience plein air event, Broadmoor Galleries, Colorado Springs, CO annually beginning 2019
Life Drawing Short-Pose Public Demo Day, S.P.Q.R. Art Space, Colorado Springs, CO 2019
Drawing Workshop, Cypress Art League, Cypress, CA 2017
Visiting Artist/Demonstrator, Cypress Art League, Cypress, CA 2017
Visiting Artist/Demonstrator, Huntington Art League, Huntington Beach, CA 2017
Keynote Speaker, “Emergence and Order in the Creative World” – Annual Boettcher Scholar Gathering, Colorado College, CO 2014
Lecture/Demonstration, “Dynamic Drawing with Encaustic” – Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 2014
Presenter (Festival of Ideas) & Facilitator (Arts & Entertainment roundtable) – Boettcher Foundation Summit Conference 2013