Other Art Forms & Subjects
Although Robinson favored watercolor painting, she was known to employ a variety of media and subjects including printmaking, weaving, oil, and ink. She wrote for magazines, studied interior design, illustrated books, and even played the violin briefly for West Texas University and the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra.
Robinson also wrote poetry, including one poem called “Western Windmills” written December 6, 1929 that described returning to school in September and not being able to see the outside world from her classrooms.
Whatever medium Robinson chose, Michael Grauer states, "she always displayed a very light touch in rendering subjects all over the world.
This print was used to create a Christmas greeting that she sent out one year. The particular printmaking technique used here is called linocut printing in which the desired image is carved into a sheet of linoleum.
This pictorial map was designed and patented by Isabel Robinson in 1929 and sponsored by the American Association of the University of Women (Amarillo and Canyon branches). This particular copy is signed by the artist and dated "1954 edition." It was created in collaboration with history and geography experts at the university and at PPHM such as J. Evetts Haley in order to accurately depict the Panhandle prior to 1890. It was printed in large numbers and was made available to the public for purchase.
In addition to landscapes, Robinson also painted portraits. Here she is seated next to a portrait she painted of Jenny Lind Porter, the Poet Laureate of Texas (1964) and West Texas professor of English (1959-1961). Robinson stated after the portrait was completed: “I painted the soul of Jenny Lind.”