Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ryan Robinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ryan, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I was able to start my artistic process by collecting materials we use and/or see in our everyday lives such as bags, boxes, food/beverage/medicine packaging,and speciality items like colored leathers, custom art papers, jewelry, foreign bank notes, firearms and firearm necessities, DVD’s, and designer bags and boxes, just to name a few. Before the pandemic hit, I mostly worked with creating things I liked and enjoyed making, and that sold well. Business during that time was great, but as an artist, I desired more, so I delved into and  flirted with the idea of using ordinary materials in unorthodox ways. As you read more into my story, you’ll learn that I’ve been a collector of cool trinkets and other articles for a while and that nothing goes to waste. I think of things I’m passionate about, topics I have strong opinions and thoughts about, and mainstream sayings that have impacted me, and from there, I sort and use materials I feel best align with the message I’m delivering so design what I have called “Paper Works.” Each letter laid on the canvas is hand cut and crafted to match the theme of my work, and is then layered using 1-2 pieces of specialty material to complete the look of the letter. I follow this process until the entire message is completed.

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?

Thank you for the opportunity to explain and showcase my visual skills. I am Ryan Robinson, artistically known as Double Lar. My journey starts at birth in December of 1987 in Houston, TX; I began creating at an early age and with the support and guidance of my parents, it was seen that I had an eye for details, vibrancy, and creativity. As I grew older, I began collecting items that appealed to me such as action figures, racing cars, comic books, DVD covers, and CD covers. I also enjoyed collecting other items such as sneakers, glasses/shades, and magazines. My fondest memory is when I created my 1st painting, a portrait of Pimp C outside of school in 2009 during the time where hurricane Ike struck; the entire community lost power for weeks and it felt like doomsday with trees all over the streets and the freeways being flooded with cars floating. Although everything surrounding the community and myself felt like pure chaos, the one thing I still found comfort in was my creativity. I started going through old magazines and antique items that were in my possession and I immediately got inspired to put my ideas and dreams to work. Fast forward to 2020, it’s announced that Covid-19 hit and is spreading rapidly; after we all went into lockdown, I had so much time on my hands and boredom was taking over. In late 2019-early 2020, most of my clients knew me best for custom ashtrays, wine holders, and TV trays, just to name a few, and I enjoyed that, but after a while, I felt like I needed to take a detour and ended up working full time up until mid-2021, and in that time, I lost sight of my vision, passion, and desire to create as I had done in year’s prior. I lost employment due to Covid, and after taking a couple of months to recuperate, I couldn’t stop thinking about how to reignite the fire from within to revive what I’m passionate about….art. After taking time to ponder and strategize, I started looking into unconventional materials to produce art such as defense weapons, the covers of vinyls, DVD and CD covers, and bank notes. Being able to create with the materials of my choice brought me peace, helped to relive stress, and provided a platform for me to really educate myself on the meanings and backgrounds of what I was using. What I’m most proud of presently is what I call “paper works”, which is layering a canvas with paper materials and materials able to be easily manipulated and carved out to spell out words and sayings that go with the theme of the piece I’m creating. My goal in using paper is to create a full body of work that questions art and brings awareness to pertinent topics like gun violence while showing anyone at any age that you can forever create and make art using anything around you with using a little bit of thought and patience. The service that Doublelar Customs provides is like no other from start to finish; I craft each piece with love, care, and thoughtfulness. I take my time to ensure that every detail on the pieces I touch are clean and have longevity. I’ve been making art consistently for over 12 years and have to catered to everyone from private collectors and famous collectors and everyone in between. My biggest collector is “Ice man Nick” who owns 4 DoubleLar’s already. When you commission Doublelar Customs services, you receive prompt communication and are met with friendly service and service options that can best accommodate a customer’s vision. The artwork that is made using durable and quality authentic materials that will last you a lifetime. I also specialize in realism portraits, abstract wood art which ranges from wood wall installations to custom wood crosses, and names or quotes made out of various woods and paint/resin. I’m most proud of how hard I can work on and off the camera in a world where validation and hype rules everything. I’m extremely thankful for being blessed with the ability to be original and daring in the world of art world where imitation and duplication is real. In my own way, my production of art is unique and has soul. I want to be known and remembered as a human 1st and an artist second who is determined and devoted to success and spreading peace, love, and happiness. I want my fans new and old to know that without your support and encouragement, I would not be here or be able to be as inspired or as motivated as I am today. I honestly create now to heal and use my imagination in ways only one could dream. I was recently told that one painting from the “paper works” series, “Stronger than Yesterday”, saved her life by just reading it daily and seeing it in the way it was designed to be interpreted. My biggest dream is to inspire everyone, young and old, to find inspiration in all things, happiness in all aspects in life, and to tap into the creativity made for them as individuals..

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was that occasional self doubt was a bad thing. As I’ve aged, I’ve found that my inner apprehension is what has brought me so far in my personal life and in my career. As an example, I often compare social media engagement between other artists and myself and that is something that has placed me in a state of doubt on many occasions; we live in a culture of trends and hype where everyone is searching for the next best thing, and it becomes very easy to get lost and feel overlooked, which is something I’ve also struggled with. But with that, I’ve used my time, energy, and resources to turn my struggles into my own testimony to what has been my own success story.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a visual/creative artist is the liberation. I’m able to create what I desire that fosters meaning, thought, flavor, and originality. There’s no better feeling in the world than that of rushing home to brainstorm ideas, organizing materials, and watching my present work evolve (monitoring it drying, adding new pieces in, etc.) Being able to see and follow my artistic process on a daily basis is one of the most exciting parts of what is to me, is, a lifestyle. To me, being an artist is an ultimate form of expression, freedom, and soul. Creative minds all have one thing in common, pioneering aspirations, hopes, and encouraging innovation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.buydoublelar.com
• Instagram: @double_lar

Image Credits
DoubleLar with his latest Private Collector’s custom portrait & paper work series