We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Robin Capecci a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Robin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

YES! YES! I love being an artist! And as a matter of record, I’ve had regular jobs. They were in the retail industry. Seems like I’m an artist no matter where I am. In the retail environment, my world was creating beautiful merchandise displays. My superiors could aleays recognise ‘my work’ as though my thumbprint was on it. It was peaceul, orderly, and very pleasing to the eyes. On top of that, because of my artisitc abilities and ease of knowing how to handle myself in situations, I was allowed creativity within my job, my comings and goings, my methods. I did occassionally work under a management who did not recognise or welcome my artistic qualities. Those persons made working under those conditions almost unbearable for me, like I was in a prison. Very unhappy, unsatisfied, and to the point of quitting. Without freedom, I felt I was suffocating. Fortunate for me, as quickly as that rype popped up, they vanished and someone else who appreciated me came in. I’ve had times between regular jobs to take care of the issues of life. (My mom’s passing, then 1 year later the passing of my husband.) And always returning to creating artwork which was never apart from my heart.
My last job was working as a gallery executive assistant with a local art gallery. I was there 2 years until the owner’s health deteriorated causing the gallery to close. This event just occurred a month ago. So now, without a job, I’m faced with the decision, do I pursue getting a regular job (which I’m believing would be easy to find, given my extensive experience), or to once again set my eyes to making a living producing and selling my art? This is my true heart’s desire, and always has been. So that’s my decision. I feel it’s never wrong to follow your heart!

Robin, 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 began drawing still life at about the age of 5. I sat one of my sister’s toys (she was a toddler) on a table and drew it in chalk on a chalkbord. From that point, I would ask my mother to give me items to draw. I used to feel as if my heart was on fire! I worked with regular pencil on cheap paper but would later turn to charcoal pencils to get their deep black but being in pencil form gave me the control I wanted. Years later, in high school, at the urging of an artist friend of mine, I was introduced to her art teacher and allowed to attend his fine art class. I was exposed to other mediums, pastel, watercolor, etc, but once I was exposed to oil painting, I fell in love!! To stand with palette in hand in front of an easel was so satisfying and exhilerating! It was where I was meant to be! The smells, the tubes of paint, the colors, the brushes all became a part of me, That’s when I knew I wanted to be an artist.
It was during that senior year of high school that I devised a plan. I dreamed of going to Italy to paint. Then I envisioned myself returning home after a couple of years, bringing home my paintings, as well as items made by artisan friends of mine who I had befreinded in Italy, to the U.S. and to open a shop/studio/gallery of these beautifully handcrafted items. My thought process…how do I get from point ‘A’ (where I was) to point ‘B’ (the opening of the studio/gallery)?

#1 I needed to learn the language. Although I am Italian, I did not grow up hearing or speaking it, so I attended 1 year at a local community college taking an Italian language course.
#2 I wanted to begin working in the retail environment. Of course, on the front side would be customer service and seeing first hand the daily operations of being in retail. But my eyes were set upon working a a buyer’s office so see how the pricing structure was developed, the importing of goods, the ordering process and more. So I began working in local stores.
#3 I needed to save money for this venture.

All of this was proceeding until I met and married my first husband. He was not on board with my path. He encouraged me (is encourage the correct word?) to go part-time, which I did. Very soon afterwards, I was offered 3, yes 3, assistant buyer positions requiring full time hours and travel. Of which, because of my marriage, I felt obligated to turn down. (YES…I know!) So my dream stayed that way…a dream…and I continued in retail. I was good at it and there was an element of satisfaction while I was being creative in it. I had a son during that time then later divorced my first husband.

Going forward, I met and married my second husband, James. He was a sweetheart and helped me tote my artwork from place to place to show it in different venues. He helped me take part in tent show festivals and was the strong arms I needed. He embraced me, my son, and my art. After many years together, a few years ago he passed away.

Since his passing I did travel to Italy in Sept of 2022, by myself, renting a car (with help), and I stayed one month in total, part of the time in Venice, the rest of the time at an accomodation in Tuscany. Not quite the dream of years ago, but a taste. I painted 12 paintings while there and shipped them home. Upon my return, I framed my paintings and prepared myself for a month long solo show at the gallery where I was working.

Bringing me up to present day, my dream is to make a living at producing and selling my artwork. During the 8 years that I was represented in the gallery where I eventually worked, I sold many paintings My love is the still life, going back to my roots. There are not many, if any, real, still life painters around. And I was, and am, fortunate to be known by my paintings .and have many followers and collectors. I also love to paint ‘en plein aire’…a french term meaning ‘in the open air’. The painter sets their easel outside looking at a scene they’d like to paint. After editing it in their mind, mixing some colors, they set forth to record the scene before them. My tendency is to paint these paintings entirely, or almost, with a palette knife. They are a very good seller for me. People love the textures.

The common quality that my paintings have, whether still life, from reference, or plein air, is that they are painted from my heart. It seems my fans embrace my very essence within each painting. Once framed in the perfect frame, they are ready to be shown. I collect frames and have hundreds of them waiting for paintings. Most frames will ‘tell’ me what kind of painting they should go around. That will also tell me what size the painting should be.to fit the frame. Most people find this a backwards process but seems quite natural to me and works for me. I guess it’s that freedom, intuitiveness, and creativity that I find essential in every part of my life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I feel I’m being true to myself. There were times in my past when I took the route of following the easier social pressures, that it wasn’t practical to be an artist, that my dreams were unreasonable, that I should live my life like everyone else. Not true! To have faith in oneself and one’s dreams and passions and their validity far outweigh following any crowd.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Basically my story is my journey…and my journey is my story. The illistration of my resilience is that I am now a far cry from that 5 year old at the beginning of my artistic journey and I’m still here at a much older age (Sorry, I’m not giving you a number) and I’m still creating art and loving it! I’m still excited about what the future holds for me! I look forward to every painting I will do. I still look for ways to showcase my art. I still love being an artist! What a beautiful way to spend your life…creating…yes, creating…beauty!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.StudiodiCapecci.com
• Facebook: Robin Capecci OR Studio di Capecci