Robert Standish: New Terrains

A solo exhibition

"Robert Standish: New Terrains"

The universe is volatile, but it is in its nature to seek balance. In his studio, painter Robert Standish—whose practice encompasses both the mastery of photorealism and the surrender of expressive abstraction—embraces the pure fractal laws of nature, and also seeks to transcend them. His latter day work has pursued abstraction to explore instinct, emotion, rhythm, and an untamed palette; and Standish has become increasingly aware of the way his body and vision become attuned to the energies of not only the paint but its potential. As he works, a delicate conversation unfolds between what the heart has in mind and what the paint proposes. 

 

Standish’s enchantment with the metaphysical texture of the invisible world yields explosive ziggurats, prismatic passages of jewel-tone depths and impasto peaks, organic and glitchy ripples, interfered-with ethereal auras flecked with pure color, and poetic color stories that speak to the spectrum of emotion. Increasingly, the intuitive forces that guide his hand toward compositional, optical, and psychical balance from beyond this plane have manifested echoes from within it. As the landscape, the sea and sky, the forest and flower, the cave and peak, the river and valley have whispered to make their real world splendor known from within the painted field of imagination, their topographies are understood as both embodiments of nature’s laws and metaphors for our connection to something greater.

 

Contemplating the evocative crested furrows across the works’ surfaces, one wonders, is the pulsating blue the hue of the celestial canopy, or water and ice? Is a deep green that has soothed the eye an avatar of endless, feral forest? A fleshy pink continues to disrupt, to remind, to hold space for artifice. The mind searches for a horizon or sighs at a glancing ray of light, and is moved to think of storms and snow. Is it all really there, in the painting? The answer is yes, or if not entirely yes, then at least more yes than usual, as the exhibition’s title can be read as both permission to see images in the abstractions and as an acknowledgment of an ongoing state of exploration.

 

Feeling that he channels or receives rather than plans or controls, Standish joyfully recognizes that the paint itself is turning its attention toward the world around us—moving from the splendor of the whole universe to the majestic beauty of this time and place. In the way that JMW Turner sought an abstract pictorial language before the word existed, and in the way that Sam Francis courted chance, and early expressionists amplified pattern and texture, Standish is searching for a balance between what is seen and what is only sensed, what is believed and what is beheld, what is human and what is divine—or better still, a balance between all of it.

 

—Shana Nys Dambrot

Los Angeles, 2024

Robert Standish is an American painter living and working in Los Angeles whose distinctive organic abstract paintings reveal wondrous and uplifting emotive effects of bright color, bold gesture, and texture. A renowned former photorealist painter, Standish became inspired by the spontaneity of Abstract Expressionism, the transcendence of Abstract Spiritualism, and the nuances and power of pure color in Color Field Painting, and has focused solely on abstraction ever since.

His artworks can be found in the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, JP MORGAN CHASE, Weisman Foundation, Lancaster Museum of Art and History, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Crocker Art Museum, Laguna Art Museum, Louis K. Meisel, Larry and Marilyn Fields, Patricia Arquette, Norwest Venture Partners, and BRYANT/ STIBEL, along with numerous other acclaimed collections.

Standish’s paintings have been exhibited internationally in galleries and museums, including a solo show at the Museum of Art and History, Lancaster and group shows at the Hammer Museum, Carnegie Art Museum, Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Laguna Art Museum, Torrance Art Museum, and a duo show with Sam Francis at Martin Lawrence gallery.

About Artist

Robert Standish is a Los Angeles-based painter whose career has undergone a profound and inspiring transformation. Once celebrated as a photorealist, Standish built his early reputation on technically precise, meticulously rendered depictions of urban life—images that blended street scenes, blurred lights, and poignant social commentary with a level of detail that bordered on the photographic. These works often carried an undercurrent of irony, juxtaposing the grit of street life with the polished corporate logos that seemed to sponsor it.

Yet, 14 years ago, Standish experienced a pivotal artistic shift, driven by what he describes as a desire to break free from the ego-driven deliberation of photorealism. This moment sparked his journey into abstraction, a form he now approaches with an emphasis on spontaneity, spiritual resonance, and the transformative power of color.

As an abstract painter, Standish creates vibrant, emotionally charged compositions that pulse with energy. His works, often layered with bold gestures and textured surfaces, feel alive with movement and possibility. Using brushes and palette knives, he orchestrates bursts of color that seem both random and intentional, creating a dynamic tension that invites viewers into a space of joy and reflection. He speaks of his paintings as energetic and uplifting, each piece a visual exploration of light and positivity.

Standish’s career as an abstract artist has been deeply influenced by Abstract Expressionism, the transcendental qualities of Abstract Spiritualism, and the chromatic explorations of Color Field Painting. These inspirations shine through in his work, yet he maintains a unique voice that is distinctly his own. His paintings are not just exercises in color and form but expressions of his broader artistic philosophy—a commitment to embracing spontaneity, avoiding repetition, and bringing a sense of divine inspiration to his process.

His dedication to abstraction has earned him a place in the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, JP Morgan Chase, the Weisman Foundation, and the Crocker Art Museum, among others. Standish’s works have also been featured in international exhibitions, including solo shows like “Energy Orchestration” at Martin Lawrence Gallery in La Jolla, and group exhibitions at the Hammer Museum and Laguna Art Museum. A notable highlight of his career was a duo show with legendary abstract artist Sam Francis, signaling his emergence as a vital force in contemporary abstraction.

Standish’s practice is rooted in a deep humanity. He speaks openly about his relationship with his work, expressing a sense of gratitude when his paintings find new homes and a commitment to creating without judgment or attachment. This grounded, personal approach shines through in his art, offering audiences not just a visual experience, but an invitation to share in his journey toward freedom, joy, and creative spontaneity.

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