Charlotte Hill Robinson

Charlotte Robinson, born on November 28, 1924 in San Antonio, Texas, the youngest child of Lucius Hill and Charlotte Mohr, passed away on April 28, 2016 in Falls Church, Virginia. When just 18, Charlotte met and married the love of her life, Floyd “Robby” Robinson, a US Army Air Corps pilot.

After WW2, Charlotte began in earnest to pursue her life’s ambition, to become an artist. She studied painting and drawing at the Art Students’ League and the School for Art Studies in Manhattan, and later at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C. Married to an Air Force officer, Charlotte lived and studied in Germany and Madrid, and had the opportunity to get to know a number of Spain’s leading artists between 1960 – 63. She began her career as an artist as a portrait painter, but soon the sweeping vistas of her Texas childhood began to influence her work. For the rest of her life, the American landscape and waterscape created the foundation of her art. She, Robby and family moved to Lake Barcroft in Falls Church in 1963, and lived on the lake until Robby’s death in 2011.

Both the founding of Earth Day in 1970 and the Women’s Art Movement of the early 1970’s influenced her work and life. In 1975 Charlotte organized an ambitious collaboration between women painters and quilters, called, “The Artist and the Quilt” and later edited a book by the same name which was published in 1983. Charlotte became the program director for the National Women’s Caucus for Art and organized the first ceremony in the White House with President Jimmy Carter to honor “outstanding women in the visual arts”. A prolific artist, her work can be found in museums across North America and Europe, and is held in numerous private collections.

A devoted mother, Charlotte is survived by her children, Rob, Larry and Liz, 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. An avid swimmer, she taught all her children and many of her grandchildren to swim and shared with them her profound respect for the natural world. Her funeral service will be held at Ft. Myer Chapel followed by burial at Arlington National Cemetery to be scheduled at a later date. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Charlotte’s name to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas or to the environmental group of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Murphy Falls Church Funeral Home, Falls Church, Virginia.