Artist Statement:
Robin’s paintings reflect her observation of the natural–water, earth, desert, forest–and the connection she feels as a human to these natural elements. Her works explore texture, color play, the ethereal, and the natural. Creating art is a meditative process that allows her to turn off her thinking brain and listen deeply to a quieter realm of consciousness that exists in all of us but is easy to ignore. In simple terms: painting eliminates the noise and opens a door to a deeper, calmer world at pace with the natural world.
Robin began encaustic painting in 2010 after visiting the studio of local artist Theresa Sterling. There she fell in love with the smell of beeswax warming and the power to manipulate color and form with a blowtorch. Robin’s initial pieces were small enough to be created on her kitchen counter. Over time, she collected more tools and grew her skills through experimentation and local workshops with some of Seattle’s most prominent encaustic artists. She also began to understand the artist’s contemplative practice under the guidance of local Seattle painter Sarah C. B. Guthrie.
Leading up to the pandemic of 2020, art existed in the background for Robin. It was an occasional exploration outside of her work as a public school administrator, mother to her two young sons, and partner to her husband, Devin. March of 2020, as it was for many, became a personal point of reckoning for Robin. The disruption to everyday life forced her to examine what was serving her in life and what she needed to leave behind to live in a more centered, balanced way. These were scary times of personal revolution and painting provided a quiet internal space to process. At this point in Robin’s artistic journey, she expanded her canvas size and began to paint big. These larger pieces made space a visual representation of big internal ruminations pointing the way along a journey of personal change.
Many observers of Robin’s work comment that they are taken to a place of calm contemplation. There is peacefulness in the work. Indeed, this is the feeling Robin experiences when a painting is close to completion. It gives her great joy to know her work can evoke this feeling in others. As an abstract artist deeply influenced by the landscapes of both the pacific northwest and her native southwest, viewers can also glimpse references to the rocky shoreline, movement of water, and the land formations of the desert.
Robin has shown her work at Full Moon Market in Pioneer Square. You can view past works and available pieces online at luzysolstudio.com. This collection of work shown at Maize & Barley is Robin’s first solo show. She is incredibly grateful to owner Venus Forteza for her support and promotion of local artists.
