Nancy Rubins, Visiting Artist Lecture 2004

Artist Nancy Rubins gives an autobiographical lecture at Skowhegan mentioning her childhood in the South, her years living as an artist in California, to her teaching career in Richmond, Virginia. Rubins mentions the shifts she has made in her practice over the years working between drawing, ceramics and sculpture. Drawing in particular has always been seen by Rubins as a medium that allows her to store energy. At the core of Rubins practice is her passion of being a formalist as an artist. Rubins mentions the affect Buckminster Fuller has had on her life, particularly his theory on looking at the whole always being stronger then the parts. Rubins ends her lecture reflecting on the importance of concrete in her work. For Rubins, concrete has acted as a medium that has allowed her to be a bridge between ceramics and sculpture as well as led to her interests in structure, occupying spaces, and site specificity.