NEW BERN — From the streets of New York City to the countryside of Korea, Norm Robins has always found the world around him to be an inspiration for his multi-media works on canvas.
The Brooklyn native and Korean War veteran had been a familiar and popular artist around New Bern and the coastal region for many years since he moved to Fairfield Harbour more than two decades ago.
Robins had a sign shop in New York, beginning in the 1960s.
He recalled that he used to eat at a Chinese restaurant in New York, where he would peak from behind a newspaper and sketch diners at other tables.
Robins sees the world as a canvas, one that is not limited to any area. For instance, when he moved to New Bern, he went to Temple and came across a New York man who had been his jeep driver during his days serving in the Korean War.
His military training was under the 101st Army Airborne in a camp in Kentucky and he went to Korea with the 40th Infantry Division.
When he was stationed in Korea in 1951-52, he recorded people and scenes through the lenses of an inexpensive camera. He recalled that his camera had no adjustments of any sort. Since then, he has begun and continues to transform many of those images to hand-colored photos, as well, and sketches and paintings.
In the war, Robins said his captain would send him throughout the Korean countryside to find needed items, which earned the young soldier the nickname, “Scrounger.” He would find everything from wool blankets to wood.
He worked with a glider program that preceded helicopters, and his weapon was a bazooka.
“They assigned it to me, I think because I’m not a country boy. They grow up with rifles,” he recalled. “All you do is pull a (bazooka) trigger and that’s the end of it. It required the least amount of skill to use.”
It also served as a time for development of his artistic skills. He had learned Hebrew calligraphy as a youngster and was quick to learn Oriental brush strokes calligraphy.
His travels allowed him to photograph and observe the Korean experience, the people in their daily lives and the beauty of the land.
“I got wonderful photographs during the Korean War,” he said. “But, my pictures are not the war. My pictures are still-lifes, people, human interest. I had an artistic nature. I went around, talked to people and went into their homes.”
Sixty years later, he is turning many of these photos into paintings, which he hopes to eventually transform into a book or other literary piece.
“I am working on this project for 10 more years,” he said. “I’m 80 now and I have enough photographs to work on it until I’m 90.”
Robins studied at the Art Students’ League in New York and also with Edgar Whitney, touted as one of the top watercolor teachers. Robins also had lessons in Japanese brush painting at the Nippon House with a Zen master.
An artist at heart, he made his living as a sign painter, muralist and billboard artist in New York City.
Robins is versatile in pastels, watercolor, gouache, oils and acrylics.
His exhibition credits include New York’s Nassau Museum and the National Art League.
The paintings and photos from the Korean War are in the permanent archives of the Asian Arts Institute.
In the mid-2000s, he shared his work at the Craven Arts Council’s 50th anniversary of the Korean War at the Bank of the Arts on Middle Street.
His awards are also numerous both in New York and North Carolina. Collectors and banks have his work as well.
He continues as a teacher, too, with classes at Bear Hands Art Factory and Framing. He has also made bird houses and has produced Hebrew and Oriental calligraphy.
Robins artistic roots can perhaps be traced to his grandfather, who came from a small Russian town, much like the one in the classic “Fiddler on the Roof.”
His grandfather copied the Torah, the five books of Moses, doing so in writing that was very small. Robins recalled being told that if there was an error made, the entire book had to be discarded and the process restarted.
Robin’s wife Fran shares in the family’s creativity as a lyricist, including some hit songs in her résumé.
For the 50th Korean War show in New Bern, she penned a tune titled “Paper Soldiers.”
Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or Charlie.hall@newbernsj.com.