Red Shift, 2006
Red Shift, 2006
54 × 54 inches




Shift, 2006
Shift, 2006
54 × 54 inches




Up for Air, 2006
Up for Air, 2006
54 × 51 inches




Break, 2006
Break, 2006
54 × 54 inches




1000 Miles, 2006
1000 Miles, 2006
54 × 54 inches




Thaw, 2006
Thaw, 2006
54 × 54 inches




Event — Blue, 2006
Event — Blue, 2006
18 × 18 inches




Event — Orange, 2006
Event — Orange, 2006
18 × 18 inches




Event — Green, 2006
Event — Green, 2006
18 × 18 inches




 Robin McDonnell: Flux Constant

Bay Area painter Robin McDonnell opens a show of new work, Flux Constant, at Brian Gross Fine Art on February 22, with a reception for the artist on Thursday, March 1 from 5:30-7:30 pm. In nine new gestural abstract paintings, the artist visually explores the notion that even "constants" in physics are subject to change. The exhibition will continue through March 31.

McDonnell continues investigations through oil on canvas that capture the idea of constant change on a conceptual and physical level. Her vibrant palette and bold, gestural brushstrokes evoke intense feelings of energy and movement. In these paintings, McDonnell applies multiple layers of pigment in complex hues of oranges, browns, reds and greens to create active, viscous surfaces. By adding and scraping away paint, McDonnell's work quickly moves between areas of thick, opaque and sheer translucent layers of color. Her unique surfaces seamlessly transition from foreground to background as she deftly balances spontaneous gesture and formal composition in these colorful and dynamic works.

Robin McDonnell was born in New York, New York. She received her B.A. from San Francisco State University in 1982, a B.F.A. from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1994 and an M.F.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1996. Her work has been exhibited in numerous alternative spaces throughout the Bay Area, and she is currently a Visiting Artist at Mills College. This is McDonnell's second solo show with Brian Gross Fine Art.