Artist Statement
July 2024
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Cheryl Rubin explores transformation in her paintings. From representation to abstraction, from the hidden to the discovered and from the tangible to the intangible,
her paintings transition over time to express an ongoing relationship to materials, line, shape and color. Inspired by natural forms and using multiple surface techniques including brushwork, drawing and mono printing, her bold and energetic style intentionally oscillates between formalist and gestural abstraction showing the process of discovery. Her paintings reveal the result of observation, intuition and excavation as she works to bring a unique visual world to the surface based upon her changing relationship to the world, nature, and herself.
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Biography
Cheryl Rubin is an artist living and working in New York City exploring transformation in paintings from representation to abstraction, from the hidden to the discovered and from the tangible to the intangible. Using multiple surface techniques, her bold and energetic style intentionally oscillates between formalist and gestural abstraction to show an ongoing investigation of personal and visual discovery.
Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in a house with a floor to ceiling wall mural of the 1928 Stuart Davis painting, "Place Pasdeloup", meticulously copied by her father and brother from a postcard. Cheryl loved that wall mural – the harmony of flat colors, line work, and the magical space created on a 2D surface transported her every time she looked at it. She began drawing and painting in high school and became interested in sculpture as well after watching an artist spin magic with clay on a potter's wheel. After two years studying painting and drawing at Kansas City Art Institute, Cheryl transferred to Philadelphia College of Art (now called University of the Arts) graduating with a BFA in Sculpture. Moving to New York City in 1979 she continued to create both 2D and 3D art while raising a daughter with her husband, musician and author Dave Rubin, as well as working in brand and creative management for Macy’s and Warner Discovery’s DC Entertainment. After taking early retirement in 2011, Cheryl devoted herself to rebuilding her art practice full-time and currently has a studio in the NoMad district of New York City. Her work is in private collections in New York, California, New Jersey, Oregon and Portugal.
Exhibitions
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Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa., Converge Benefit Exhibition, Juried Group Show (June 11- August 3, 2024)
The Marciano Law Firm, Hoboken, NJ, Solo Show (May 1, 2023 - June 15, 2023)
DeFrate & Paavola, Solo Show, Ed Sullivan Office Theatre Building, NYC (February 5, 2020 – May 2022)
Primavera, One Brooklyn Bridge Park Juried Group Show (April 1 – June 18, 2021)
First Street Gallery, 9 for 19 Juried Group Show, Chelsea, NY (January 2021)
ArtspeakCollective.org Group Show, “Art in the Aftermath” online exhibition (December 2020)
Art Students League of NY, Merit Winners Exhibition (September 2020 – October 2020)
Tabla Rasa Gallery, Brooklyn, NYC, 1stdibs.com (November 2020 - present)
Goddard Riverside Community Center Group Show, NYC (March 2020)
Manhattan Borough President’s Office Juried Group Show (July- September 2018)
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery Group Shows, 57th St., NYC (2018/2019/2020)
Spring Studio, NYC, Solo Show – Recent Drawings & Collages (March 2015)
Spring Studio, NYC, Group Shows (2010-2015)
Philadelphia Bicentennial Art Exhibition Juried Group Show (1976)
Global Art Students Exposition Juried Group Show, Glasgow, Scotland (1974)
Awards
Phyllis Harriman Gallery 57th St., NYC Honorable Mention (2020)
Art Students League Peter Helk Award (2019)
Education
Kansas City Art Institute/Philadelphia College of Art BFA (1977)
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Professional Career
President, Cheryl Rubin Group/Powerhouse Branding (2011-2015)
Senior Vice President, Brand Management Warner Discovery/DC Entertainment (1987-2010)
Marketing Manager, Annual Events, Macy’s New York (1981-1986)
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