About

Artist Statement

  • My artistic philosophy is rooted in minimalism and a deep reverence for simplicity. In recent years, both my life and work have shifted toward a slower, more meditative rhythm, shaped in part by a period of healing and quiet return. This transformation has softened not only how I live, but how I see.

     

    I am drawn to the quiet beauty of imperfect, everyday objects: flowers past their peak, fruit from the garden, small natural forms that might otherwise go unnoticed. Through close observation, I seek to distill their essence in a way that reveals something deeper. These subjects become spaces for reflection, where light, atmosphere, and subtle shifts in form carry emotional weight.

     

    My process moves between spontaneity and control. I begin loosely, allowing the paint to move freely, then gradually refine the image while remaining careful not to resolve too much. Edges dissolve, forms soften, and brushwork remains visible. It is within this balance that the work feels most alive.

     

    I do not seek to capture perfection, but presence. To me, these objects are quiet markers of time, memory, and attention, small luxuries that ask nothing but to be seen. In a world that often feels fast and overwhelming, my work offers a moment of stillness: an invitation to slow down, look more closely, and rediscover the beauty that exists, quietly, in plain sight.

     

    - Robyn Palescandolo (signed R Palesca)

Biography

  • Robyn Palescandolo (signed R. Palesca) is a studio artist originally from Massachusetts and now based in Southern California. Her drawings and oil paintings follow a classical process, combining precise realist detail with spontaneous, painterly brushwork. Through botanicals, natural objects, and quietly observed subjects, her work transforms the familiar into something timeless, intimate, and deeply felt.

     

    From 2016 to 2021, Robyn owned and operated La Locanda del Tempo, a farmhouse and painting retreat in rural Italy dedicated to slow living, artistic restoration, and immersive study. The retreat’s ethos continues to shape her work, rooted in stillness, simplicity, and close observation.

     

    Robyn holds a BA in Art History, magna cum laude, from Boston University and an MA in Art History & Visual Culture from Lindenwood University, where she received the Art History Award for Honors Convocation. She studied oil painting under Marilou van Lierop at Academie Noord in Flanders, followed by years of self-directed inquiry in traditional techniques. Alongside her studio practice, she teaches classical painting workshops, serves on the Board of Directors for San Diego Art Directory, and maintains active membership in several professional arts organizations.

     

    Robyn’s work has been exhibited and recognized by respected arts organizations, including the International Guild of Realism, Oil Painters of America, California Art Club, Arts to Hearts Project, Manhattan Arts International, the Luxembourg Art Prize, and the Art Renewal Center. Her work and artistic practice have been featured in Create! Magazine, Women in Arts Network, VoyageLA Magazine, and American Art Collector. Her botanical illustrations are held at the KAUST Center for Desert Agriculture, and fine artworks are held in private collections internationally.

Awards & Honors

  • Semi-finalist, Still Life

    Art Renewal Center’s International Salon

  • The Woman Artist Award

    Arts to Hearts Project's International Selection

  • Certificate of Merit

    Luxembourg Art Prize’s International Selection

  • Juried Artist Member

    International Guild of Realism