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

Rob, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with important influences in our lives. Is there a historical figure you look up to?

One of the most challenging things creatives face is being true to our own creativity. I was introduced to my historical leaders early on my journey as an artist. These introductions took place first in museums then later in art history class. I didn’t realize at the time artists, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh would become my personal creativity compass.

Monet and Van Gogh saw the world as most artists and creatives do, differently. What made them different than other artists is they had the courage to paint their truth despite rampant rejection. They remained servants to their own unique view of the world, their own unique creativity. When the established art world rejected Monet, he found new ways to show his work to the world, outside of the establishment. Despite never selling a single painting during his lifetime (except to his brother), Van Gogh, never strayed from his truth as an artist even while battling mental illnesses.

They were mavericks. Neither of them ever accepted “no” as an absolute. They found ways to continue to explore and manifest what it meant to see the world they way they did. I think of Monet almost ever time I stand with paintbrush in hand staring at a blank canvas. He paved the way out of the status quo showing all of us artists how to follow our own truth. And Van Gogh is the island I swim to when drowning in the sea of rejection.

From them both I have leaned to continue the pursuit of my creative truth; to work hard to manifest my unique vision of the world even if others can’t see it; to find other ways of getting my work seen vs. changing my work to meet the expectations of the masses.

The biggest lesson I have learned from these two giants is to always be me. I can learn and replicate marketing and business techniques but being me is unique. There is no one that sees the world the same as I do. My creativity is my product, everything else is generic.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I create art as a vehicle to expand sense of self beyond the mundane and ordinary world of everyday life. I do this by following vibrations through the collective consciousness anchored in the core of all things. This vibrational web is shown to me in stages as I intuitively work at making art. I create my work using a process called automatism. Automatism is creating art with no conscious intent, automatically. My work is never planned or designed, it simply flows from my soul through the web of all things. I never know what is going to show up as I dance with each brush stroke, line, color, and form. It is a bit like river rafting where I am the guide. Sometimes I can only hang on as I thrust into white water feeling the rocks underneath. While other times I am able to simple float lazily in the afternoon sun as the slow current gently moves me along. This spontaneous, “stream-of- consciousness” approach is always flowing with no beginning or end – my job is to articulate each new moment the best I can every time I push off into the water.

As a young child I spent countless hours filtering the world through my imagination while connecting with creative sources beyond my individual existence. I later honed this source material through practice and formal education learning to master the fundamentals needed to accurately depict story in a variety of media and technique. It was through this effort I discovered a passion for bringing forth the innate creativity we all hold. I went on to spend over 20 years traveling around the globe teaching creativity while experiencing the richness of diverse cultures and spiritual practices.

Today, I marry my steady practice of technique and color theory with creative insight to unveil soul stories beyond the understanding of the mind. This is especially evident in my custom commission work. I start the commission process by gaining an understanding of the client’s likes, preferences and experiences. This helps me “find their place in the creative river” so I can push off into the flow and share the ride through brushstroke and color. The result is a custom work that is a unique story of the individual and the collective. For instance, I once did a commission for a woman who was giving it to her husband as a gift. I was nearing completion and still hadn’t resolved this dog-like figure at the top of the piece. I asked the woman about it and she told me her husband had a sheep dog that he adored who had passed some years prior. So instantly I knew what he was coming up, which opened the door for a black cat at it’s feet. I then found out the cat and the dog where inseparable. Listening and honoring what comes up, even if I don’t understand it, is critical to what I do.

My job is to listen to the richness of the soul in hopes of creating a glimpse of who we are as connected beings. This is the beauty of what I do, of who I am – a listener. I listen deeply to the core of collective creativity riding the flow of the stories that appear.

I connect directly with customers and potential commission clients during the summer art festival season traveling across the United States showing and selling my work. I participated in my first art festival in 2014, but it wasn’t until 2017 when I began showing my work across multiple States. The pandemic had a huge impact on the traveling artist. Fortunately, during this time online art sales open widely. I was able to maintain my customer relationships and keep up sales all virtually. While this interaction is no real substitute for face-to-face interaction, it has helped customers become more comfortable with online art buying.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Reputation is built through integrity. I show up everyday with the same thoughts other business owners have, “marketing, finance, growth…” Those things are crucial to juggle properly for the health of the business. I know I am one in the field of a million other artists who want to be seen. I also know I have budgets and revenue targets and growth plans. But I am also keenly aware of my product, my unique creativity. I treat like a sacred object, because it is. It is this sacred treatment, this servitude to my unique truth that has built and continues to build my reputation.

To clarify, reputation doesn’t require “uniqueness” it only requires “truth.” Do your truth, others will notice.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

For me the best source of new clients is going into the towns and cities that appreciate fine art and interacting directly with clients when and where they are receptive. I have found the best action to support this strategy is participating in art festivals and gallery exhibitions. Here I get to engage with the potential customer and tell them about my unique view of the world when they are most receptive to hearing about it. I they can see my work in person and learn directly from me how it came about.

Of course, this approach isn’t scaleable. There is only one me and I can attend only so many events during the year. However, what it lacks in scale, it makes up for in engagement, loyalty and, word of mouth.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.robfannin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artrobfannin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/art.robfannin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-fannin-fine-art/

Image Credits
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