Grace Robbins

  

Mrs. Charles A. Robbins, Junior, (Grace) of Raleigh, North Carolina, has been a sales associate with Portraits, Inc., since 1996 serving the Raleigh area. With Grace's experience and expertise, she earned the distinction of top sales associate for the company in 2020, an honor she has achieved three times previously, and she has three times been the runner-up. She has often been in the top ten of Portraits, Inc. associates, with career sales approaching $6 million and having sold 670 portraits to date. Her success is indicative of her love of portraiture, her skill at matching clients and artists, and her commitment to customer service and satisfaction.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Grace grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a B.A in Psychology, beginning her career in the Personnel Department at Wheat First Securities in Richmond, Virginia. Interested in merchandising and fashion, she became a consultant for the Carlisle Clothing Company, continuing in that capacity for 16 years.

Pursuing an interest in art while raising her four children, in 1988 Robbins became a representative for Mac Connery, a widely-acclaimed North Carolina photographer whose black-and-white images of children set the standard for children’s photography in many communities for more than half a century. She worked as a Connery representative for 11 years before expanding her horizons to include portraiture. When looking for an artist to paint her triplet sons, Robbins discovered Portraits, Inc. She was attracted by the selection of artists and wide range of styles and prices that Portraits, Inc. had to offer. Impressed with the excellent portraits of her children and with the Portraits, Inc. experience, it was a happy decision.

Since 1996, Grace has very much enjoyed representing Portraits, Inc. and their more than 100 talented artists and sculptors, all the while facilitating the creation of beautiful portraits. Throughout her career, Robbins has placed many children’s portraits in homes and has been fortunate as well to have been the facilitator of a large number of corporate portraits, all reflecting various mediums, styles, and price levels. Grace provides a full service that commences with presenting to the client the artist's portfolios that reflect their preferences and taste. Grace goes on to oversee all details while coordinating the entire procedure including that of framing and installation.  Grace has been involved with families, corporate firms, governors, colleges and universities while twice handling the official portrait commissions of past Governors of North Carolina.

In 2010, Grace founded Robin and Robbins Fine Art, an art consulting firm with partner, Robin Branstrom. Together they represented over 35 artists and placed art in both residential and corporate settings from Maine to Florida. This further expanded Grace's love of art while representing all painting genres including abstracts, realistic and impressionistic works, landscapes, still life, collages, photography, and sculpture.

Robbins is a community leader whose involvement in education, cultural arts, and service is ongoing. A member of the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, she has served on the board of her alma mater, St. Mary’s School in Raleigh; the North Carolina Museum of History; and the Figure Eight Island Yacht Club. For nine consecutive years, she served on the Foundation Board of Directors for the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh where she chaired their annual fundraiser, Art of the Auction. Robbins is married to Chuck Robbins, retired and previous Owner/Chairman and CEO of COECO Office Systems, Inc., with locations in both the Carolinas and Virginia.