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Robert Thomas Robie

Artist's Interview

How long have you been creating?: I have been creating for many years and it all started when I managed to draw a R2D2 trading card at the tender age of 7, after seeing Star Wars with my big brother in 77'. All my creations thereafter became an escape for me and a place where I could chronicle my ever evolving personality and spiritual beliefs.

What is your medium of choice?: My media of choice is the Ampersand Clayboard Smooth panel and I have been working with Ampersand panels for about three years. I continue to find interesting new techniques for my style due to the infinite combinations of media one can apply to this surface. I use airbrushed Dr. Philip Martin's Spectralite Acrylics, Bombay Ink, Prismacolor Color Pencils and various rubbing or scratching tools on the clayboard. I enjoy sharing my technique with as many as I can and hope to encourage more artists to give it a try.

What are your motivations for creating?: My deep spirituality, storytelling and belief that my art can change people motivate me to create art. I always attempt to share a very personal, internal part of my soul with my audience.

What other artists and movements inform your work?: All artists and art movements I am able to learn from add to my art. Arthur Rackham's illustrations have been a template for my Alice's Adventures in Wonderland illustrations and I have had a deep fascination with William Morris for some time. Many more artists are on the list and my wonderful EBSQ artists top it.

What do you find stimulating right now? How does this influence your creative process?: Images that contain object/nature/environment interactions that illicit some sort of story and/or emotion within me.

Read anything good lately?: Sand and Foam by Kahlil Gibran. I have several rare Gibran books that I read and reread. I enjoy writing poetry and I have always modeled myself after this author.

What are some of your artistic goals for the future?: First of all, I graduate college in May and that will enable me to spend more time with the art business. I am completely addicted to creating ACEO art trading cards and plan to open my new season in mid January. I plan to finish my Alice's Adventures in Wonderland book by summer and will continue the pursuit of publication as well.

What would you like your fellow EBSQ artists and collectors to know about you and or your work?: I pour a great deal of myself into my art and humbly thank everyone that takes the time to view it. This wonderful, magical place called EBSQ has brought out very special things within me, created many special interactions with EBSQ artists and found special collectors to appreciate my art. Thank you for this interview EBSQ and for taking the time to read my words.