“I am drawn toward abstraction and the freedom it presents to creatively interpret the world around me. This process allows me to develop a piece conceptually, sometimes long before it reaches the studio. Experimenting with various media has enabled my process to evoke a physical yet internal structure, which I then slowly reveal through the many layering techniques that I use in my sculptural and two-dimensional work. Observing form, color, and texture in our ever changing environment, has greatly influenced my work, empowering me to further investigate a multitude of ideas, akin to my own life experiences.”
A Quincy, Massachusetts native, Robin MacDonald-Foley received her BFA from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, where she developed her creative expression in a wide variety of mediums. Majoring in painting, with the inclusion of stone studies, Robin received a Sculpture Scholarship and continued her interest in stone and sculpture while working under the guidance of Carlos Dorrien and William Wainwright at the former Sculptors Workshop in Somerville, Mass. Prior to AIB, Robin studied with three-time Fulbright scholar, Sol Levenson, receiving training in art and graphics at the Quincy Vocational Technical School. In addition to her fine art pursuits, Robin held a career in sign/trade show exhibit design, and earned a framers certification while working at J. Inman Gallery in Easton, Mass.
Robin was awarded a 2019 Boston Harbor Islands Artist in Residence, leading a collaboration with national park visitors on a public project. Documenting the islands and coastal regions have been an important part of her artwork and photography subjects over recent years. Her residency also inspired an exciting opportunity to curate an exhibition which included visual art, dance, and film. She is a recipient of the Mission Hill Fenway Trust Grants for art workshops and currently teaches art in the Mission Hill area of Boston. Robin is a gallery member and serves on the board at Galatea Fine Art in Boston’s Art & Design District, and has been active in art associations and community projects in New England and California. Exhibiting in a variety of venues both locally and nationally, Robin’s work is in numerous private collections, and has been widely published in healing arts, educational textbooks, and sports magazines. During a residency in Colorado for stone carving, her passion for working in nature and natural light began to materialize. In 2020, while home based, her outdoor studio space came to fruition, enabling her to continue stone work on a more permanent basis. Robin is an avid bicyclist who loves exploring the less traveled roads that inspire her art and writing.
You can also view Robin’s work at: https://www.galateafineart.com/