We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chrystal Robinson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Chrystal, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
The biggest risk I have ever taken was to relocate to Cleveland Ohio, for a position as Executive Director of the International Women’s Air & Space Museum after being divorced, I wanted a fresh start. I bought a house, closed my art gallery, and relocated my life to run the museum in late March 2025.
Chrystal, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I got into art as a child, and never stopped creating! I started with Oil paints and watercolors and soon moved to sculpture and fashion design. I currently have been obsessing over leatherworking. I will be relocating my business to the upper level Incubator space inside of Ingenuity Cleveland, in midtown. LemonChrystal Artist Sanctuary was previously located in Downtown Alliance. I relocated after my divorce to Cleveland to become the Executive Director of the International Women’s Air & Space Museum. I began to transition from a full-time professional artist to a grant writer in 2021. I have a passion for arts and culture fundraising and creating innovative events and immersive art experiences.
Bio
Chrystal Robinson is a certified Grant and technical writer, event coordinator and fundraising specialist with 8 years of experience assisting with and fulfilling organization fundraising, proposals and events. A proven track record of using excellent personal, communication and organization skills to lead and create high quality proposals and execute organized successful projects. Chrystal has a desire and passion for creating a better community and continues to innovate, create and raise funds for a variety of local arts and culture programming across the state of Ohio.
Chrystal is a past teaching artist at Canton Museum of Art, past Director of Development with EN-RICH-MENT and past Museum Director of Salem Historical Society. Chrystal has extensive experience in many areas of the nonprofit sector, for 15 years, with a specialization in arts and historic nonprofit organizations and event coordinating. She serves on the Board of Trustees with Alliance Area Preservation Society and is a past Coke a Cola Leader of Promise Scholar award winner and Graduate of the Stark County Leadership Spotlight. In 2020 her arts venue won the Repository’s Best Music Venue in Stark County Award and she continues to work in the arts in her new arts organization located in Downtown Alliance.
Chrystal’s award-winning avant-garde multidisciplinary art is nationally exhibited and her events have won awards across Ohio for 20 years. Chrystal’s artwork and curatorial work often depicts socially engaged themes and aims to ignite change and advocate for inclusion and diversity. In April of 2023, her career and advocacy in the disabled community was highlighted with Arts Possible in Columbus. She is a grant panelist with Ohio Arts Council. In 2024, she was a panelist with ArtsMidwest. Chrystal started the artist team and studio LemonChrystal Artist Sanctuary in May of 2024. In 2024 she was nominated for the Ohio Governor’s Award in the Arts. In 2025 Chrystal relocated to Cleveland to become the Executive Director of the International Women’s Air & Space Museum.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My mission and goal is to have my artwork and career to become an inspiration for people like me, who are differently abled, from the wrong side of the tracks, to follow their dreams. All of my life doctors, my family and friends told me that I couldn’t do this, or couldn’t do that, because of my health, my economic status, or because I am a woman. I am living my dream today, an executive director of a museum that shares the amazing stories of women in aviation and aerospace. These trailblazing women led the way to the sky, and I hope to lead the museum to a bright future~!
Mission of International Women’s Air &Space Museum:
International Women’s Air & Space Museum
The mission of the International Women’s Air & Space Museum is to collect, preserve, and showcase the history and culture of women in all areas of aviation & aerospace; educate people of the world about their contributions; and inspire future generations by bringing the history to life.
Admission is free, and guided tours are available for a nominal fee. Visit the “Visit” page for more information. **Tours offered by appointment Monday-Friday
*Gift Shop & Offices open Monday-Friday 10:00 – 4:00
*Exhibits open seven days a week from 8:00-8:00
Closed for all major holidays and home games of the Cleveland Browns.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being a creative is to be born with a gift and be able to use it to express and speak to the community. It is an honor to help others learn about themselves through my creative expression and creative journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iwasm.org
- Instagram: IWASM @women_of_the_air personal art business LemonChrystal Artist Sanctuary website @chrystalghostbrushart
- Facebook: IWASM https://www.facebook.com/IntlWomensAirSpaceMuseum Art Business https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559855768173
Image Credits
Lennon Strain, Jackie Bertolette, Burst of Light