helping her with her work or doing my own. And it just slowly evolved to where I was doing more of that instead of the production assistant work.” Colin started to find success with his own work and then it was introduced at Celebration. “I brought a couple [of Colin’s pieces] to the show, and put one in the corner of my booth,” Robin said. “One of my regulars came in and just went straight in for it, visceral of everything else in the booth.” The next year Colin painted a complete body of work, which was set up adjacent to Robin’s studio. Collectors took notice, and the following year, Colin decided to take a chance on the show. Inventing and sculpting on canvas Make no mistake, while both artists paint in an abstract, sculptural style, a quick study of their work reveals very distinct differences. The color palettes, move- ment, strokes and overall design vary from mother to son. These distinctions seem to grow more prominent every year as both keep testing, experimenting and inventing in their own way––just like Robert taught them. But, while play and experimentation drive the evolu- tion of their work, it’s still very much rooted in a set of principles that were also passed down. “To my father, there were as many rules and principles in an abstract painting as any other,” Robin said. “I’m fortunate to have been taught those
rules. You don’t just throw paint or smash paint on the surface. There’s so much more. It’s all about a focal point, and shape and balance.” That thoughtful attention to tech- nique is perhaps what makes their work so enthralling. It has a way of inviting viewers in, urging them to create their own story about what’s happening on the canvas.
Robin Branham at work in her studio.
"Yours Now Mine", acrylic, 65" x 75" by Robin Branham
it was 1995 and Robin Branham As she made the trek from California to Arizona, she felt a mix of terror and excitement. She didn’t know what this 10-week commitment in an unknown town would bring, but something compelled her to take a chance on the opportunity and herself. Just prior, Robin had been juggling three jobs: single mom, professional artist and cocktail waitress––a job she was ready to leave. The day after she mustered up the courage to quit, she saw an ad in a newspaper that would forever change her life. had just loaded up a van with her artwork and her infant son, Colin. “I had just walked off my job and the next morning I went to a coffee shop with Colin, opened the newspaper, and saw a picture of the tents. I said, ‘I’m going to find that!’,” Robin said. The tents pictured were none other than the Celebration of Fine Art and the next day, Robin sent a let - ter and small original painting off to then-owner Tom Morrow. Taking chances Robin was immediately accepted into the show and that marked the start of her full-time career as professional
professor said, ‘I don’t think you’re go- ing to be a curator. I think you’re going to be a painter. You need to pursue this and take this to galleries right now.’ That’s how I started,” Robin said. After she graduated, Robin’s father worked with her every day, offering techniques, principles and critiques to dial in her abstract work. This contin- ued for 15 years and it’s what helped shape Robin’s unique style that’s more sculptural than paint on canvas. “He taught me everything I know,” she said. “Mostly he taught me to be an inventive artist. He worked on sets in the movie industry before CGI, so he had to physically make the sets. It was always about molding, sanding and carving. He drilled into my head “You don’t just throw paint or smash paint on the surface. There’s so much more.”
to experiment, play and invent new techniques. And that’s why my work varies so much.” Over the years, Robin passed this rich knowledge on to Colin. Still, while both start from the foundations Rob- ert taught them, they’ve developed their own techniques and voice. “Sometimes when I’m talking to Col- in, critiquing and working with him, I hear my father’s voice coming out,” Robin said. “He taught me his tech- niques and I changed them over the years. And that’s exactly what Colin is doing. I teach him first what grandpa taught me, then he interprets it and goes his way.” Despite having an innate talent for art, Colin, like his mom, was on a dif- ferent path. While attending UC Irvine and working as a production assistant on a film set, he had his sights set on either going into the TV and film industry or becoming a police officer or firefighter. Art wasn’t necessarily on his radar. But life intervened and Colin decided to lean in. “When I was home from college and between working as a production assistant on film sets, I worked in my mom’s studio,” Colin said. “I was either
artist. It also kickstarted what would become an almost 30-year tradition. Colin, her son, was just two years old when he began accompanying Robin to the Celebration of Fine Art. While they may not have known it at the time, that experience was imprinting on him. A couple decades later, Colin would become a third-generation artist in the family and soon have his own studio at the show. Though fine art was in their lin- eage––Robin’s father, Robert Bran- ham, was a well-known fine art and commercial artist in Hollywood––it was not the initial career path for Robin or Colin. Building a legacy “Watching my father paint my whole life…no one could touch him,” Robin said. “He was the painter and there was no way I was ever going to pick up a paintbrush. I went to school to be a museum curator.” During her fourth year in college, however, Robin took a painting class as an elective. The professor saw a latent talent in her and urged Robin to rethink her chosen career path. “By the end of the semester, the
Watch Colin's interview here.
Above: "Primaries", acrylic, 45" x 60" by Colin Branham Below: Colin Branham at work from the Celebration of Fine Art.
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Issue 3 | Winter/Spring 2024
Issue 3 | Winter/Spring 2024
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