For a limited time, discover the dynamic work of local portrait painter Benjamin Anderson at Ron Robinson in Santa Monica and on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. A global brand that serves as the benchmark for quality and style, Ron Robinson has brought four decades of carefully curated personal and lifestyle fashion to fans on the West Coast and beyond. A long-time patron of the arts, Robinson now proudly hosts three exclusive portraits by California mixed-media artist Benjamin Anderson.
Anderson, whose work has been recognized by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, has captured the attention of national trend titans like Target and Converse, as well as global print and film media. A remarkably versatile artist classically trained in San Francisco, Anderson’s work spans a variety of diverse mediums and themes. His primary focus, however, is portraiture, and his approach – a unique synthesis of classical and contemporary styles – features a uniquely modern twist resulting from over 20 years of steady refining.
Drawn to the story behind each unique subject, Anderson thrives on the challenge of rendering a person’s likeness beyond mere physical appearance. Each portrait captures the essence of his subjects in a way that is both deeply personal and powerfully universal. “There are a lot of people who don’t like how they look in photographs,” Anderson explains, “So my goal is to truly reflect who the person is – not just what they look like. I want to create a portrait that feels like them – an image that keeps people thinking far beyond their initial observation.”
For his portraits, Anderson draws upon a wide array of tools and techniques to accurately reflect his subjects. In what becomes a highly nuanced process of imagination and discovery, his creative edge is identifying unexamined ways of using material and space to represent his subjects. Anderson will use traditional oils, enamels, wax, wood and even sometimes led lights in his quest to portray his subjects. Relying on a mutual process of collaboration – an intricate dance, so to speak – between artist and client, Anderson’s gift lies in striking an elusive balance between concept and craft, idea and element, “photo real” and ethereal. Nowhere is this more evident than in Anderson’s work at Ron Robinson.
Perhaps because both men are craftsmen and artists in their own right, the unexpected and alluring effect of Anderson’s work plays well amongst Robinson’s collections – also notoriously avant-garde. The showcased work creates an energy that is both playful and electric. “My goal is to push the boundaries of traditional portraiture,” says Anderson, describing their arresting effect on shoppers. It’s a response both humbling and gratifying to the artist, and it’s what keeps him fixated on his craft. With over 7.5 billion people on the globe, a portrait artist can find inspiration everywhere, which makes Ron Robinson – an ongoing celebration of creative freedom – their ideal (albeit temporary) home.
View the works of Benjamin Anderson at the Ron Robinson flagship location on 5th Street in Santa Monica and the original Ron Robinson boutique on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles at Fred Segal. Anderson’s background, accolades and work – including his latest “just add water” series – can be found at www.benjaminanderson.com. His work is currently being shown at Simon-Breitbard Fine Arts in San Francisco, Whistler Contemporary in Canada and at the Carnegie Art Museum, “The Imaginary”, opening March 10, 2019. Learn more about Ron Robinson’s iconic brand at www.RonRobinson.com and follow @RONROBINSON on Instagram for in-store updates and news.
About Ron Robinson:
In 1978, Ron Robinson, Inc. opened its doors at Fred Segal on Melrose Avenue. Armed with a decade of experience working directly for Fred Segal as a salesman, buyer and Vice President, Robinson took his hard-earned knowledge and expertise and built a global brand that continues to change the face of shopping and fashion today. The RON ROBINSON brand offers uniquely curated personal and lifestyle fashion and includes the APOTHIA beauty boutique – home of the IF signature fragrance and award-winning interior aromatics – as well as RON ROBINSON men’s, women’s and kids apparel and home design, all of which embody the brand’s long-standing tradition of quality and style. Learn more at RonRobinson.com.