Robin Richman

RICHMAN ROBIN RICHMAN (Age 64) Robin Richman, died on Great Cranberry Island, Maine on February 5, 2009 after a long battle with brain cancer. Robin grew up in Washington, D.C. where her parents, Maida and Robert Richman, created the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Robin spent her childhood assisting her parents with the Institute and much of her free time in the beautiful gardens of Dumbarton Oaks. She attended the National Cathedral School. She went on to Connecticut College where she graduated as an art history major. Her early career was spent as the art reporter for Life Magazine. She worked with Life's talented staff of writers and photographers in creating cover stories on contemporary cultural issues such as the emergence of the hard rock music era. She covered many artists including Jim Morrison and the Doors, Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and the Beatles. She also worked with a variety of photographers such as Art Kane, John Miele and Gordon Parks. One of her best known stories was the mega concert at Woodstock in 1969. During this period she was briefly married to Richard Busch. Robin moved back to Washington in 1976 when Time Inc. created Time-Life Books in Alexandria,Virginia. She was employed as a Picture Editor and worked on a variety of book series including WWII, The Epic of Flight, The Old West and The Enchanted World. She was a talented researcher and did most of her research on site, when possible. In 1991, she left Time-Life to create a small organization of former senior staffers at Time-Life to create SmartMan, a concept and research service for large media companies which used the output to produce documentary films. Robin also spent seven years in Santa Fe where she renewed her interests in the Institute of American Indian Art as well as work on a variety of local arts and politics. Robin's great love was Great Cranberry Island. She spent part of fifty summers there. Friends, lobsters, sailing and part time jobs filled her days. She is survived by her brother, Michael and her sister, Renn Richman Campbell and a variety of nieces and nehews whom she adored. She is also survived by her partner of 20 years, Kathleen Clay Taylor. A memorial will be held on June 21 at the home she and Clay built. Contributions may be sent to the Hancock County Homecare & Hospice organization. They have offices in Blue Hill and Bar Harbor, Maine. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com www.jordanfernald.com