Excerpts from a Review by Scott Borofsky,
published in “Gallery Walk” volume 4 #12, Brattleboro, Vermont 

      ”Roberts manner of celebrating being in the landscape is original and relies on an introduced (and quite poetic) conceptual idea. The theme of the “Inside/Outside” exhibition seemed to be captured most specifically in her work. That is because she shows the landscape inside the figure as the figure itself is depicted outside, in nature. And though this sounds complicated, it is actually quite simple.” 

      “Picture a landscape in your mind, one you know well, and a good place to walk. In the middle of this view, moves a figure, but all you see is its shape. Inside that shape is a section of the surrounding view, filling the human shape. It is not transparent, allowing you to look through it, but is rather filled by the subject matter it is experiencing. This idea transcends concept-for-concept’s-sake and is hugely metaphorical and poetically expressive. She seems to capture the love of a place by the people who live there, for that love. Remember the last time you took a walk in the forest, what you were filled with? The forest, of course. Why do we go out, away from civilization, walking, or as in some of her paintings, cross country skiing, if not to empty ourselves, to be refilled by nature?” 

      “Seeing the figures, with their surroundings inside them, at first seems to make reference to some surrealist pieces, particularly the work of Rene Magritte. But this work is more poetic than it is surrealist. The concept, in this case, serves as a conduit for expression. It is not the subject itself.” 

      “There’s something marvelous about these landscape filled figures. While the artist might have generalized on the gestured movement of the hikers and skiers, and still got the idea across, Roberts would not be so easily satisfied. Her figures reveal much through their specifically described body language.”

      “She is also clear in her focus and keeps the landscape to a narrative level of expression. While the expressive rendition of a landscape can be a subject matter in itself, in this case it would only interrupt the vision being expressed. But her narrative description is also extremely accurate in capturing the essence of Vermont’s varying physical characteristics, and constantly changing light.”