We recently connected with Cory Robinson and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Cory thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
I am happy with the timeline of my creative career. It seemed like a natural progression to be honest. I got my first break in 2004 at a small coffee shop in Philadelphia. (Shout out to “The Bean”) I was right out of college. The show was well received, and I couldn’t believe it. I was like “wait, people like my art?” I was excited. It happened pretty fast, and I was able to get more work and showing opportunities in Philly from that point forward, so I can’t complain too much.
My only wish would be that I would have utilized social media platforms more or could have predicted that it would have such a strong hold on society. I guess I’m going to date myself but when I first started showing art, MYSPACE was just being introduced. I didn’t utilize it the way I could have to promote myself and I really didn’t realize at the time that people were paying attention. After MYSPACE became obsolete, I didn’t move to Facebook like most people. So basically, at the beginning of my art career, I didn’t interact with social media thinking it wasn’t needed or for me. Now looking back, I wish I was more proactive on the tech approach. The fact that now someone can start showing art and it reaches such a mass audience is cool. You no longer must rely on galleries or college degrees or word of mouth but can start promoting your art young and build a following of collectors through social media. So, I guess, I do wish that my interaction with social media began sooner but overall, the timeline of my creative career has been organic and natural.
Cory, 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 was born and raised in Berlin, CT. I started skateboarding in the 4th grade and still skate. I think skateboarding has shaped my artwork, work ethic and artistic interests. It continues to shape how I look at life.
I graduated from Connecticut State University and immediately moved to Philly. This is where the art journey began. I was asked by a friend to show work at the coffee shop they worked at. I skipped the step of group shows and galleries and was able to just start showing work on my own. That opportunity was huge. This helped me jump start my art career and gave me the courage to get into the art industry. I was very lucky to be welcomed into the art scene in Philly. This was also the time period that I started to paint in reverse on found windows which has turned into my main focus. I have been doing reverse acrylic on found glass since 2004. Philadelphia had an abundance of construction going on and a ton of old windows on the street left for trash because of the construction. I became obsessed with sourcing old windows and painting on them.
That first show in Philly landed me some really cool opportunities. I worked as an art handler for Wexler Gallery in Old City which is something I never thought I would do and learned so much about the industry. In addition, I was offered a freelance job doing art with Urban Outfitters. This has blossomed into the job I have today. I am the Senior Display Coordinator for UO. It allows me to do art and carpentry for a large global retail brand while doing my own personal art as well. I am very happy to say that I make art for a living. I have made art for UO globally and helped opened stores worldwide. Not to mention how much I have learned through experimenting with art/materials for this job.
My personal brand or concept may look different than other artists. My artwork is mostly 2d (paintings, illustrations and murals) but my work at UO involves sculptures, using mixed materials, creating with construction materials as well as fine carpentry. This really helped diversify my bag and can separate me from the pack. This is something I am really proud of. I can build out a restaurant/ retail space, create the branding, and paint a mural all for the same client. I can offer a packaged deal to the client because of my experience and expertise. Whatever a client’s project is, I know I can contribute and help them achieve their end goal. Hit me up, I’ll try and make your dreams come to life.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
First off, society can stop saying phrases like “I can do that myself” or “why would I pay” or “I’ll learn it myself from a YouTube tutorial and get it for free.” This completely devalues any artist or tradesman that has put time into mastering their craft. One video is not going to make you a master. I think this is the main problem for an art ecosystem. This breaks down the idea of artistic standards. Investing in quality and in people builds a strong and supportive environment for creatives.
I think recognizing that working artists are doing it all… social media director, curator, fabricator, creator, designer, accountant, secretary, sales, and marketing. We are running our whole program and all these items must be considered when producing and pricing the final project. People don’t see how much goes into a project. People just see the end result and want to think they can do it too or ask why it is so much. This is unsupportive to the art industry. Simply recognizing that it’s a lot of work and then compensating artists for their time and creative energy is what support can look like.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My main goal is to bring joy to the client, collector or anyone viewing my art. I want my work to make you smile when you look at it. My goal with public art is to inspire and illuminate public spaces. I also want to bring interest to the neighborhoods they are featured in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mrcoryrobinson.com
- Instagram: @mrcoryrobinson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrcoryrobinson/
- Twitter: mrcoryrobinson