About Me
Russian - American Artist
My name is Tatyana Robberts. I was born in Russia on the territory of Ural Mountains. When I was one year old my parents moved to small very old town in central part of the country. The Town, where I grew up, was founded in the year 1583. It is located on high coast of the Volga River ( largest river in Europe). From this place you can see very nice landscapes for miles around with spectacular views of the sunset and sunrise and ships moving up and down the Volga. Many nice cathedrals and houses from natural wood designed by woodcarvers.
The house where I grew up was built in the 18th century. The first people who lived there were the workers which built the cathedral which was located next to the house. This cathedral is a very beautiful architecture building from red brick that is still in use today. But after revolution this cathedral has been turned in to a museum and art gallery and it functioned as a museum till Perestroyka. In this gallery were the works of some very famous Russian painters: Ayvazovskiy, Kramskoy, Feshin , Brullov and many more. I remember as I was coming to gallery and would stay and look on some of those master pieces for a long time and think : ''How they could do it? '' So, I think all this atmosphere of beauty around me awakened the artist in the young girl I was at that time. This feeling of beauty and harmony I keep in my heart for all of my life. From my earliest memories I have always loved to draw. Best presents for me at that age were colored pencils and water colors.
Later in age from 11 to 15, I attended Children's art school in addition to regular school classes. It was 4 hours of classes every day except weekends. Painting , drawing, composition, sculpture and history of art. And it was almost free! My parents payed really small money for it. Kids could go to any school as art, musician, sports or any other interests and get free education . We had good system of education during Soviet Union. The country supported talented kids .
After Art school at age 15 years old I left home and passed exam to Art College . Next 4 years were hard but very interesting in my life. I learned a lot more about art and first time visited Hermitage. Don't remember when I opened Impressionists for myself , probably when I was in college, but I loved some of them a lot and still do ! Claude Monet and August Renoir, Degas and Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and Cezanne. Surikov, Repin, Shishkin, Serebryakova, Kystodiev, Vrubel and many more from Russia. We always get influence from such big masters! At age 19 I earned a bachelors degree in fine art and interior design. 20 years I worked as designer full time, raised 2 boys in marriage and always wanted to paint but didn't really have a time for it. In 2000, my second marriage brought me to the US....
After a few years when my English became a little better I decided to find some professional artists who are painting plein air. I remember how I attend first competition in Saint Louis ''Lafayette Square '' and met some strong artists. Since then I call them ''sharks." On 3rd year at this event my work got ''Best of Show'' award and then I decided to follow this path and learn about plein air and painting in general as much as I can. I took some workshops from guys who already have been successful in this field and knew a lot more than me at that time about plein air. Billyo, J. Been, N, Gordon, A.Kriegshauser, P. Saunders, V.Korolenkov , P. Starke and G.Svagrik. They shared some info with me and I learned something new about plein air. Plus some books and videos (Thank God we live in era of internet!) gave me some knowledge which I try to combine with my formal education when I am painting in those days .
Basically all life is a school and we are learning all the time and continue to do it until will be gone.... These days I am doing primarily plein air events but attending 2-3 local judged in Art Shows
Artist Statement and Schedule
Statement
I really believe that Mother-Nature is the best teacher, especially when it comes down to plein air. Just observe, look, listen, smell and create your interpretation of the subject, or the light, or the moment in time. Don't just try to copy, you will lose. God's creation is always the best! Enjoy listening to the bird's, river's, ocean's, and wind's singing. But! create your own music, your song. So it is what I am trying to do in my works lately. To achieve my goals in a particular work I would paint sometimes "wet on wet," colored or textured canvases. Landscapes, still life's, portraits, figures, I prefer to work from nature! More likely my style is impressionistic realism and lately I try to show more expression in my works. I follow my mood when choosing the motive. Something should "grab me" and talk to my soul before I will start to paint. I love the color and believe that it has very strong emotional influence on us, and people have still not discovered completely how we are affected by it. To be very selective and to reach more expressiveness is my goal in my works at the present moment.
2019 Schedule
April - May
24 April - 5 May, "Augusta Plein Air Festival," Augusta Mo.
4 May, "River Bluffs Paint Out," Canton, Mo.
5 May, "River Bluffs Paint Out," Hannibal Mo.
11 May, "Paint Webster," Webster Groves, Mo.
17-30 May, "Stems" Plein Air Event, Kansas City, Mo.
23-26 May, "Callaway Plein Air Event," Fulton, Mo.
June
3-8 June, "Steelville Plein Air Event," Steelville, Mo.
July - August
Painting in Russia
September
13-15 September, "Mosaics," St. Charles, Mo., Invited Artist
19-27 September, "Paint the Towns," Plein Air Event, Plymouth, WI.
26-30 September, "St. Genevieve Plein Air Event," St. Genevieve, Mo.
October
6-12 October, "Bluff Strokes," Dubuque, Iowa, Invited Artist
Schedule will be updated as more information becomes available.
Latest Awards
2018
1st place final, pastel category "Augusta - 2018" plein air event.
"Best of Show" - Painting Webster - plein air competition, Webster Groves, Mo.
"Best in Sunset" category, Steelville, Mo. plein air event
"Third Ward" - "Best of Show" - plein air event in Milwaukee, Wi.
Second place over all, "Golden Hills" Louisiana, Mo. plein air event
"Best of Show" - River Bluffs Plein Air 2018" Hannibal, Mo.
"Best of Show - "Get Out! Paint Out!" Lebanon, IL.
Award Winner - 2018, "Mosaics Art Festival," St. Charles, Mo.
2017
"Best in Oil" category, "Midwest Salute to the Arts" - Fairview Heights IL.
"Best of Show," "Art in the Park" Art Festival - Highland Il.