Artist Statement

Roberta grew up with a sketchbook in a family of artists; her father was animator and animation director Abe Levitow (www.abelevitow.com.) Throughout a 40-year theatre career, she kept up her drawing and painting by studying drawing, Old Masters Techniques, and oil painting with the late-Franklyn Liegel at the Otis College of Fine Arts as well as pursuing a special interest in traditional egg-tempera iconography.

 
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Strongly influenced by the storytelling emphasis of theatre, early paintings play with the juxtaposition of narrative elements, using bold colors and patterns drawn from childhood cartoon influences. Portraits explore combinations of realism with stylization. Exposure to Russian icon painting inspired work that embeds references to this elemental spiritual vocabulary to create a secular and contemporary iconographic language. 

The portrait “North Star” was inspired by one of the numerous iconic images of Harriet Tubman. The original 24” x 36” oil painting is now owned by Tony Award-winning Broadway musical star, Chuck Cooper and his wife playwright Deborah Brevoort in New York City. Prints and cards of “North Star” are available on this website. 

Other works have been included in the following group exhibitions:

  • “Sacred Art”, Boxheart Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

  •  “Art and Science”, Boxheart Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

  •  “Visual Expressions of Jazz”, a JVC Jazz Festival Special Event, NYC

  •  “Independents’ Show”, Puna Contemporary Art Center, Pahoa, HI

Marriage to musician and composer Mitch Greenhill (www.fliartists.com) brought opportunities to revive a life-long love of singing and performance. Together with Mitch, Roberta has recorded two CD’s: “Some French Songs” and “Lost in the Stars.” Copies of these CD’s are available on this website.