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Jayne Robbins

Date of Death: November 19, 2024

Date of Birth: June 7, 1945

Biography:

Jayne Robbins departed to the other side on November 19, 2024 in Portland, Maine after a brief illness. Jayne was born under a Gemini sun, June 7, 1945, in Washington, D.C., to Sarah Fraser Robbins and Chandler Robbins II. After the war, the family returned to their home in Auburn, Maine. Her earliest memories included movies at the Auburn cinema, walking to her primary school, and welcoming her grandmother at the Lewiston train station for Christmas. Summers were spent in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the family moved year-round after the death of her father in 1955.  

Jayne attended the Woodstock Country School in Vermont, where they danced to Rock & Roll at recess. She graduated in 1964 and went on to the California College of Arts and Crafts, receiving a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 1969. The Bay Area years shaped Jayne’s life. She made deep friendships with other creatives, participated in the civil rights and anti-war movements, and heard very good music at the Fillmore West. Art, Astrology, Eastern medicine and spirituality became life-long passions. 

Returning to the East Coast in the 1970s, she settled in Gloucester, where she took up equestrian pursuits, competing in carriage driving. In the 1980s, she married Charles “Chip” Brewer of Gloucester. They had three children together, a daughter Kirsten, followed by twin boys, Shawn and Tomas. She was devoted to their care and provided a lifetime of unwavering support. All the while she continued her art practice in oils as well as pen & ink. She illustrated a book of poetry, Deluxe Daring, in collaboration with her friend, the poet Vincent Ferrini. She also began a life-long tai chi and qigong practice, traveling with her teacher and fellow students to China in 1993. She pursued certification in feng shui and was a member of the American Society of Dowsers. Never one to stay put long, Jayne often sought warmer weather in California and New Mexico, but always returned to New England.

Jayne was predeceased by her son Tomas, her son-in-law Zachary Harder, and her sister Marian Stebbins. She is survived by her daughter Kirsten Brewer of Augusta, Maine, her son Shawn Brewer of South Portland, Maine and his fiancée, Celia Haviland, and former stepdaughters Alicia Brewer of Burlington, Vermont, and Jessie Harris of Bedford, Massachusetts. She leaves behind three siblings, Hanson Robbins of Chester, Maryland and his wife Linda, Theodore Robbins of Pomfret, Vermont and his wife Caroline, and Sarah Evans of Mamaroneck, New York, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. 

She will be remembered for her fiercely unique way of being, her welcoming and accepting nature, and her generous spirit. Her family asks you to remember her by wearing pink and holding your loved ones dear. Consistent with her wishes, no service will be held, but her children plan to host a retrospective of her art in 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gloucester Writers Center, or to a person in your community who is in need.