We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Riley Robinson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Riley below.

Riley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Learning how to do and create what I do now has been a life long process. It’s a culmination of family members who entertained my interests as a child, art classes and teachers, inspirations to explore and experiment. With that said, I don’t think there’s necessarily a way it could have been sped up rather than it just being part of the process and growing. As far as skills go, I believe it’s important to have a strong understanding of the “basics”; color theory, line, perspective, anatomy and so on. Knowing the foundations helps break them as you wish and create to the fullest extent. Intuition and the ability to adapt are essential skills to me as well.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been making art my entire life, but it wasn’t until I was in high school that I began my professional practice to pursue a creative education and career. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a supportive network who encouraged me to sell my work, enter artist markets, and galleries. My recent works consist of layered mixed medium paintings based on concepts of memory, perception, and the natural world. I’m inspired by the idea of combining aspects of film and photography within painting, as well as colors and how they interact with light and texture on a surface.
Due to my process-driven practice and use of translucent paint, I’m able to create these interactions within my paintings that shift with lighting and the viewers perspective as they move around the piece. This also makes my work almost impossible to duplicate, and best experienced in person! In a world where we have access to see so many different artists creating amazing works, I think my paintings provide a unique opportunity to actually interact and feel more connected with the piece.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think there’s certainly an aspect of elitism in the arts that tends to intimidate and push people away from the community if they’re not familiar with it, resulting in a lack of support from those who don’t consider themselves as creative or feel like they’re “in”. Lowering these barriers and fostering inclusive creative environments can seed from investing in affordable art education at all levels for one, everyone should have the opportunity and access to explore creative outlets if they desire. Increasing grants, residencies, and platforms to support artists is essential, as well as encouraging collaborations within businesses and local governments to bridge the gaps.
Supporting artists doesn’t always require financial means, it can be as simple as showing up and appreciating the craft. Attend your local galleries, markets, and exhibitions! Purchase directly from local artists and engage with their content!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are so many rewarding aspects of being an artist; freedom, community, creativity. I’m incredibly grateful that I get to truly enjoy what I do and have the opportunity to connect with others through my work. I find a lot of fulfillment through my process, having the ability to impact people and hear their perceptions on what I create is always extremely rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artbyriles.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artist.riles/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-robinson-684a88221/