“It is not emotion, the sincerity of one’s feelings for nature, that draws us, and if the emotions are sometimes so strong that one works without knowing works, when sometimes the strokes come with a sequence and a coherence like words in a speech or a letter, then one must remember that it has not always been so, and that in the time to come there will again be heavy days, empty of inspiration. So one must strike while the iron is hot, and put the forged bars on one side.”

• Vincent van Gogh, to his brother, Theo van Gogh. Arles,1888

Chrys Roboras’ work departs from vast allegorical landscapes and entrapments of figures to colorful portraits. The figures are arranged in harmonies of color and texture, and she uses her palette with the intent not to express, but to describe. The colors appear symbolic and intense, for she assigns psychological weight to color, as the self yearns for release. The artist does not draw what she sees, but what she wishes others to see. Some figures are moody with a resonant intensity, while others fearlessly confront the viewer with subtle confidence and introspection.

Roboras’ innovative approach is not built on a single moment of vision. She consciously transcends familiar landscapes and liberates figures lost in contemplation to construct a new reality.

The strength of Roboras’ figures lies in the intensity with which she paints their eyes, which confront the world with an insecure joy. They wish for direct communication with boldness of color and texture, challenging the viewer to participate in their personal drama. The exquisitely bold and lyrical application of color contributes to the symbolism of each composition, advancing the expressiveness of the figures’ faces.

Ultimately, Roboras stirs the senses through jolts of color and texture to engage in direct communication with the viewer. Her use of color unfolds with a sense of rhythm and purpose. If color influences the way individuals experience the world, these portraits serve as paradigms of the crossroads between imagination and reality.