Lora Schlesinger Gallery is pleased to present Robin Cole Smith’s exhibition Afterglow. This will be the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery. Inspired by the natural world, Smith creates hyper-realistic drawings and paintings of landscapes and natural wonders. Afterglow is an exploration of the natural world and one’s relationship to it. The work seeks to explore our inner wilderness—by way of an outer one. Rendering her subject matter with reverence, she highlights forms and textures by harmoniously combining abstract and figurative elements. Encaustic is one of her primary mediums; with this mixture of beeswax and resin, she builds each drawing layer by layer, creating multifaceted images that are both raw and refined. She seeks a space of stillness and contemplation where a natural way of seeing floats quietly to the surface of our hyper-stimulated minds. Robin Cole Smith was born in Denver, Colorado. She completed her BA in English at Colorado College with studies in France and Ireland. She later returned to Ireland to study at the Burren College of Art where she graduated from the post-baccalaureate program in studio art. She received her MFA degree from Laguna College of Art and Design in 2013. She has exhibited internationally since 2009. Since 2009, she has been completed seven artist residencies nation-wide.

In the Gloaming,2014 mixed media on paper 58-5/8 x 50-5/8" - fr

Vanishing Act, 2015 encaustic and mixed media on panel 20 x 62"

Home, 2013

gouache and charcoal on paper 54-3/8 x 40-3/8" - fr

Solitaire,2013 encaustic on panel 17-5/16 x 17-5/16" - fr

Afterglow, 2015 encaustic and mixed media on panel 21-1/2 x 25-1/2" -fr

Mourning Cloak, 2015 encaustic and mixed media on panel 11-1/8 x 9-1/8" - fr

Volatilis I, 2013 graphite on paper mounted on panel 13-7/8 x 13-7/8" - fr

Volatilis II, 2013 graphite on paper mounted on panel 13-7/8 x 13-7/8" - fr

Volatilis III, 2013 graphite on paper mounted on panel 13-7/8 x 13-7/8" - fr

ROBIN COLE SMITH MFA, The Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2013 Post-Baccalaureate in Fine Art, The Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2008 - 2009 BA in English (honors, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO 2003 - 2007 Studies and teaching abroad: Seville, Spain (Colorado College), Ballyvaughan, Ireland (Burren College of Art); Canterbury, England (Colorado College); Galway, Ireland (National University of Ireland); Paris, France (Colorado College) Awards, Grants, & Residencies Residency — Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Taos, NM confirmed Jan-April 2014 Residency — Anderson Ranch, Snowmass, CO confirmed Oct-Dec 2013 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant 2012 Second Place, “Shades of Gray” competition – Drawing magazine 2012 All-around winner, emerging artist category – Capitol Christmas Tree juried exhibition 2012 Viewer’s choice award, emerging artist category – Capitol Christmas Tree juried exhibition 2012 Laguna College of Art and Design institutional grant 2011, 2012 Residency — Spiro Arts, Park City, UT 2011 • Outreach program: studio visit and artist talk for local high school students in an advanced art program. Second place viewer’s choice award, Black and White – Linus Gallery, Long Beach, CA 2011 Residency — Hypatia in the Woods, Shelton, WA 2011 Residency — Eastern Frontier Educational Foundation, Norton Island, ME 2010 Residency — The Watershed Research Station (Science Museum of MN), Marine on St. Croix, MN 2009 Residency — The Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland 2009 Boettcher Foundation full-ride academic scholarship 2003 Exhibitions Solo Shows 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 Person Shows Carbon: Elemental Experiences – Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO 2013 Nature | Nurture – Exhibit [A] Gallery, Long Beach, CA 2012 Group Shows La Bottega Dell’Acquaforte, Laguna Beach, CA confirmed Spring 2014 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 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 Orange County Art Fair, Laguna Beach, CA 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 Triggered Momentum – Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 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 Affiliation Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO 2010-present Bibliography Post-Modern Times journal, fall 2013 Beyond the Gallery, documentary web series episode, Season 2, 2013-2014 Southwest Art Magazine, “21 Under 31,” September, 2013 International Drawing Annual 8 (INDA) Manifest Gallery, OH, December, 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 Related Experience Private Art Instructor 2012 - present Drawing Instructor – Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA (Portfolio Development) 2013 Presenter (Festival of Ideas) & Facilitator (Arts & Entertainment roundtable) – Boettcher Foundation Summit Conference 2013 Assistant Teacher – Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2012 - 2013 • Watercolor I, Fundamentals of Drawing (multiple semesters), Fundamentals of Figure Drawing (multiple semesters), Figure Drawing III & Special Topics, Painting II Guest Lecturer – Colorado College Art Department (in Seville, Spain) 2013 MFA Liaison & visiting artist selection committee, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA 2011 – 2013 Judge – South Orange County School for the Arts student art exhibit, Soka University, Aliso Viejo, CA 2013 Judge – Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach Art Show 2013 Painting Instructor – Art Ala Carte, Parker, CO 2010 Assistant Teacher – Ah Haa School for the Arts, Telluride, CO 2009 Owner/photographer – Picture Your Life Photography, Denver, CO 2007 - 2009 Assistant Teacher – Colorado College English Department (in Canterbury, England) 2008 Creative Coordinator and Consultant – Xiosoft, Broomfield, CO 2008 Art Consultant – Gallery 3000, Cherry Creek, CO 2007 Editorial Assistant/Intern – Devenish Press, Boulder, CO 2007 Intern – www.documentaryforhire.net, Denver, CO 2006