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

Alright, Robyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

In my role as development director for ARTSiE, a small nonprofit, I’ve been helping to facilitate a community mural for the past two years at Evanston’s oldest community center in its historically black neighborhood. We are working with two local muralists and holding several community workshops to engage the entire Evanston community in this project. We work with children, elders and adults with physical disabilities to make clay pieces that will be included in the mural. It’s been an exciting project that’s helping to transform an important hub in the community and give it the attention it deserves. As part of this project, I’ve also been involved as a teaching artist and teach art classes to underserved children in the community. We will complete this mural in time for the Juneteenth celebration in Evanston and plan to route the parade past the mural as part of our ribbon cutting ceremony.

Robyn, 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’ve always been a writer, and as a child thought I would grow up to become a fiction writer. Then I became a technical writer and that killed my creativity! Sadly.

When my mom was an empty nester, she started painting water colors. My grandmother was an oil painter. In 2009 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and something just clicked that I wanted to create art, so I signed up for my first art class. I never felt like I had talent, but I did take art history classes in college and nothing brought me more joy than absorbing art in galleries and museums.

When my boys were in high school, I became completely invested in making art, and it slowly evolved into something I needed for my soul.

I’m an abstract expressionist artist with a passion for nature, travel and all the colors and textures we come across in our daily walks and observations.

I’m always finding shapes and colors around me and intuitively include those inspirations into my paintings. I work mostly with acrylics and collage, but like to add mark making through pastels, water colors, oils and whatever strikes my fancy and whatever the painting seems to be asking for. I like to create a dialogue with my paintings where I’m more of a listener, trying to understand who the painting wants to be and trusting the process without worrying about the finished product. Usually, the less you worry, the better it becomes!

I’m continually growing, experimenting and working on my craft. I’ve exhibited in local art shows and sold my art through art galleries, word of mouth, commissions and art fairs.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I’m forever grateful that I chose art to be in my life. It has fed me, sustained me and saved me. It brings me so much joy and when I’m making art, time disappears. Art has taught me to lose the idea of perfection, to take risks, to not care about what anyone thinks (almost). Art has taught me to honor and value my time, my creativity. I feel like I’ve found my purpose with art. My art isn’t political, except that in dark times, I’m trying to spread joy. Even when I start a painting in anger or despair, I end the painting with joy. I love that my art takes me through that range of emotions–my personal therapy session.

When I was stressed about my teenage boys, art helped me escape. Art was there to save me during Covid and the Trump administrations. When my youngest son left for college, I turned his room into my studio within 48 hours. I lost no time in finding a room of my own. Now, I’ve moved to the basement where I can be messy and completely alone and work big.

Art has also given me a new community of friends where we lift each other up to continue creating even when we feel like failures. We inspire each other, share new ideas, work creatively together, attend each other’s shows. And just enjoy each other’s company–being with people who get you, who share your passion for making art.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My particular goal or mission is simply to find my voice, listen to my voice and not be distracted by what people might think of my work. I want to just enjoy and focus on the process and let myself paint freely. I feel like I’m pretty good at it, but still have a ways to go. I need to work on not thinking of the end product. I also have worked hard to feel like I have something valuable to say, which is hard when there’s so much art in our world. My goal is to value my voice and believe I have something to contribute, something of value. It’s validating to hear people say how much they love seeing my images in their social media feed, that it brings them joy, and what more can I hope for?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.robynhurtigart.com
• Instagram: robyn_mcmurray_hurtig_art
• Facebook: robyn mcmurray hurtig