NEFT Vodka announced that Paul Robinson, an artist known for his unique approach to creating stunning, imaginative and provocative imagery through a varied combination of mediums and processes, has joined the company full-time as its new Chief Creative Officer. With his extraordinary background, Robinson’s ability at developing imagery that is able to elicit emotion and tell a story all on its own, will further define NEFT’s already distinctive branding efforts.

Robinson, who began as a fashion photographer in Paris, has been recognized as one of the most talented celebrity photographers in the industry with his work displayed in well-known magazines such as Details, Elle, Interview, Detour, George and Architectural Digest. Robinson’s illustrious client roster includes celebrities such as Renee Zellweger, Jennifer Tilly (who modeled for his commissioned Absolut Vodka ad in 1995, among other projects), David Arquette, Ella Fitzgerald, B.B. King, Melissa Ethridge, Noah Wyle, The Beastie Boys, and Dermot Mulroney. Notably, many of his clients are also collectors of Robinson’s work.

Aside from his illustrious celebrity client roster for some of the world’s top magazines, as well as his highly successful series of exhibits in New York, Los Angeles, London and Hong Kong, Robinson is probably best known for the constant evolution of his artistic processes and drive to explore new mediums. Initially striving for the clear sharpness of a single image, he began employing new methods in his photography including layering multiple images upon one another, incorporating text and other media and eventually, the introduction of painting to the layers. Exploring increasingly provocative themes, each piece is printed on transparency, often blending juxtaposing concepts to create ground-breaking and thought-provoking art.

Longtime collector of Robinson’s work, Academy Award-winner Sydney Pollack, who also wrote the forward to Robinson’s book, said, “It’s been exciting to watch Paul’s photographic journey, through the black and white stark images of his earlier work, into the more abstract and dreamlike color cityscapes and triptychs that came later, and then on further, still evolving, to watch him find his own distinct photographic eye.”

“Throughout his artistic transformations, Paul’s art has always maintained a profound human element, which is a driving force behind his ability to tell a story and create an experience in a single piece,” said Jeffrey Mahony, CEO of NEFT Vodka. “NEFT is unique and experiential itself, and Paul is perfectly suited to capture these attributes through his art, adding a new dimension to the NEFT story.”

Robinson has already been working in a consulting capacity for NEFT, and in fact designed the hugely popular NEFT Community Pride barrel for the company last year. Given the success of the designer barrel, NEFT expects to have additional barrel designs with relevant themes introduced in in the future.