Renee Robbins is a Chicago-based visual artist known for her immersive, otherworldly creations that fuse the natural and the fantastical. Her work is characterized by the layering of biomorphic forms to construct intricate, surreal environments that evoke both the beauty and mystery of the natural world. Drawing from a diverse array of scientific, artistic, and personal influences, Robbins pushes the boundaries of perception and invites viewers to explore new dimensions of reality.
Robbins has made a significant mark in the public art sphere, receiving high-profile commissions from organizations such as the Chicago Public Art Group, the Wabash Arts Corridor, and Illinois' Art-In-Architecture program. Her work has been featured in numerous prestigious exhibitions, including at the Lois Lambert Gallery in Santa Monica, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, and the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art in Midland, MI. Her unique artistic vision has captured the attention of both local and national media, with features in PBS WTTW Chicago Tonight, Chicago Gallery News, Chicago Magazine, Inside/Within, and a celebrated audio interview on Ahtcast. In an intriguing twist, the forms in Robbins' paintings were even classified by a diatom taxonomist for an artist feature on the US Diatoms database at the University of Colorado, further blurring the line between art and science.
Robbins' dedication to her craft has earned her recognition in the form of multiple honors, including three grants from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Having received her MFA from Michigan State University, Robbins is currently celebrating 18 years of creating and thriving as an artist in Chicago, where her work continues to evolve, inspiring curiosity and wonder in all who encounter it.
Statement
I create paintings and murals inspired by the natural world ranging from subatomic to telescopic. My imaginative visual environments consider the complex relationships between humans, nature, and the cosmos. We learn about magic all around us through the lenses of microscopes, magnifying glasses, cameras, and telescopes. Moving between real and imagined subjects, my work broadens our awareness to enrich our lives. For example, I position hybrid flora/fauna within new interpretations of the deep sea and the night sky. That includes cells, flowering botanicals, aquatic species, and celestial bodies. By creating associations between things that are seemingly disparate in scale and form, my work shows the world through a new lens. This abstract space is luminously populated with dots, circles, and hieroglyphic-like marks. In this way, my images reflect the diverse world and the power of nature by creating awe and a sense of wonder.