January 2026: The Rear View Mirror by Mark Robinson

“In sharing a retrospective of my work, I am inviting viewers to see where I began my artistic pathway and to follow along as my view of the world, and my artwork changed. These pieces display moments of my life, my perspective, what I had learned, had yet to learn, and most importantly, what my best efforts looked like in that moment.” – Mark Robinson

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ARTIST STATEMENTMORE INFORMATION

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Gerald Phillip Robinson 1923 – 2006

Gerald was born in Minnesota, the ninth of nine children. He grew up in a family of stone cutters who traveled and worked between the quarries of St. Cloud, Minnesota and Raymond, California.

He attended Roosevelt High School in Oakland, California. There, in a high school art class, he met Marilyn, his future wife. Together they raised five children of their own.   Gerald was a dedicated family man who introduced adventures in the shape of road trips, camping, church outings, and all the other family activities of the 1960s and 70s.

He became an Urban Arborist for the city of Oakland, California and eventually became the department foreman. In addition to long hours at work and all types of adventures with his family, Gerald still found enough time to pursue his creative side.

Gerald started more pieces than he was able to finish, but family friends and neighbors cherished his chain-saw carvings that all depicted Tikis. In addition to the large chain-saw pieces, he carved smaller reliefs (as displayed) and completed a few paintings.

Perhaps the paintings were fewer because his son Mark appropriated his paints, and later his tools.  At any rate, Gerald promoted Mark’s creative side by showing him drawing, painting, and carving. Gerald provided Mark a great example and much inspiration.

Gerald’s pieces are on public display for the first time. They are cherished by his family who hope you will enjoy them as well.

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Clara Hoffman Martin Durflinger 1903 – 1971

Clara was born in San Francisco, California, and was three years old during the great 1906 earthquake. Though she told stories of her childhood, her art education and early work is unknown.

By 1925, Clara was married to Joseph “Happy” Martin, a railroad man. Together they had a daughter who eventually became Mark Robinson’s mother.  The Martin family moved with the railroad, living in Gerber and Dunsmuir, California.

Clara Hoffman painted her entire adult life. Her works on display are dated between 1931 and 1971. By the 1940s, the family was living in Oakland, California.  After the death of “Happy” Martin, Clara married Fred Durflinger, as finish carpenter from the area. You will see the Durflinger name prominently in the pieces on display. Fred made her picture frames when he was not building houses.

By the 1950s, Clara transitioned to china painting and teaching that art to others. She painted hundreds of china sets and display pieces. You can still find her pieces on Ebay and other auction sites. The lilac platter on display is one of the last pieces she created.

Also in the 1950s, Clara had “The Hidden Art Shop.”  My first memories of her are there.  She painted while she sat upright on a low stool that was covered in red-flowered fabric.  She kept a piece of clear glass that she used as a paint palette.

Her shop had window displays, her paintings hanging on the walls, and, of course, dishes everywhere. The smell of linseed oil, used in the china paints is still a very clear memory for me.