We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tatyana Robberts . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tatyana below.
Hi Tatyana , thanks for joining us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers
I am painting plein air. Plein air is when the artist stands in the open air on location and works. That’s why we have to communicate with people, whether you want to or not. I will describe two stories from my experience, which began in 2005. It’s late August and we’re in Biloxi, Mississippi. I drove around hoping to see something interesting to draw. In a small bay on the Mexican gulf, I saw 3 shrimp boats. The picture was very beautiful, but I had one big problem: there was nowhere to stand! There was only a dangerous bend in the road where cars were constantly passing and it was impossible to stand . I had just one option – to go into someone’s boat that was standing opposite ! That’s exactly what I did. I went in, sat down and started drawing. After a while I felt eyes on me. I turned around and saw a man. Fascinated, I continued to draw. After a while I turned around again – he was standing and looking at me in the same place. And then I realized that only the owner of the boat could behave this way! I stood up and walked over to him and said, “I hope you’re not too mad that I’m here. I loved this view so much, but it was just one spot where I could sit and draw, there were no other options. I’m sorry.” He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, you’re fine!” He stayed and watched me, what I was doing all this time, and when he realized, he didn’t even come on the boat so as not to disturb me! Now it’s a different story, on the contrary. I attend plein air event in my home state of Illinois. This is a rural area and a fairly limited space where we are allowed to paint . Passing by, I didn’t find anything interesting. And then I turned onto some gravel road and drove along it. One cute view caught my attention. I park on the edge of the road and start working. After 30-40 minutes the car stops, an old man got out and said: “What are you doing here?” “I answered: “I paint. We have plein air competition in this area and we are trying to find some beauty to paint.” He: “Get out of here, now!” This is my property.” Me: “Sir, when I turned onto this road, I was looking for some sign or plate that this is a private property, but I didn’t see it…” He: “Everyone knows that this is private property!” Me: “Sorry, maybe this is clear to Americans, but I came from another country, and there we can go anywhere, as long as there are no markings or prohibitory signs. Would you please let me stay another 15 minutes so I can finish my work?” He: “No! Get out of here now!” I left. My mood for the rest of the day was broken , I was sad… The consolation was that later this work received the “Best of Show” award. Now, looking back, I am grateful to fate that my first experience of “communicating with the public” turned out to be positive and that gentleman on the yacht did not dissuade me from painting en plein air. The following year I officially took part in a plein air competition for the first time. It was 2006, the year when I started participating in plein air competitions.
Now I attend plein air events and several art festivals nationally driving to different states of the country.
Small advice for everyone who is going to live in another country : as a minimum it would be good to know the language, culture and rules of behavior !
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Tatyana Robberts. I was born in Russia on the territory of Ural Mountains. When I was one year old my parents moved to small very old town in central part of the country. The Town, where I grew up, was founded in the year 1583. It is located on high coast of the Volga River ( largest river in Europe). From this place you can see very nice landscapes for miles around with spectacular views of the sunset and sunrise and ships moving up and down the Volga. Many nice cathedrals and houses from natural wood designed by woodcarvers.
The house where I grew up was built in the 18th century. The first people who lived there were the workers which built the cathedral which was located next to the house. This cathedral is a very beautiful architecture building from red brick that is still in use today. But after revolution this cathedral has been turned in to a museum and art gallery and it functioned as a museum till Perestroyka. In this gallery were the works of some very famous Russian painters: Ayvazovskiy, Kramskoy, Feshin , Brullov and many more. I remember as I was coming to gallery and would stay and look on some of those master pieces for a long time and think : ”How they could do it? ” So, I think all this atmosphere of beauty around me awakened the artist in the young girl I was at that time. This feeling of beauty and harmony I keep in my heart for all of my life. From my earliest memories I have always loved to draw. Best presents for me at that age were colored pencils and water colors.
Later in age from 11 to 15, I attended Children’s art school in addition to regular school classes. It was 4 hours of classes every day except weekends. Painting , drawing, composition, sculpture and history of art. And it was almost free! My parents payed really small money for it. Kids could go to any school as art, musician, sports or any other interests and get free education . We had good system of education during Soviet Union. The country supported talented kids .
After Art school at age 15 years old I left home and passed exam to Art College . Next 4 years were hard but very interesting in my life. I learned a lot more about art and first time visited Hermitage. Don’t remember when I opened Impressionists for myself , probably when I was in college, but I loved some of them a lot and still do ! Claude Monet and August Renoir, Degas and Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and Cezanne. Surikov, Repin, Shishkin, Serebryakova, Kystodiev, Vrubel and many more from Russia. We always get influence from such big masters! At age 19 I earned a bachelors degree in fine art and interior design. 20 years I worked as designer full time, raised 2 boys in marriage and always wanted to paint but didn’t really have a time for it. In 2000, my second marriage brought me to the US….
After a few years when my English became a little better I decided to find some professional artists who are painting plein air. I remember how I attend first competition in Saint Louis ”Lafayette Square ” and met some strong artists. Since then I call them ”sharks.” On 3rd year at this event my work got ”Best of Show” award and then I decided to follow this path and learn about plein air and painting in general as much as I can. I took some workshops from guys who already have been successful in this field and knew a lot more than me at that time about plein air. Billyo, J. Been, N, A.Kriegshauser, P. Saunders, V.Korolenkov , D. Volkov, P. Starke They shared some info with me and I learned something new about plein air. Plus some books and videos (Thank God we live in era of internet!) gave me some knowledge which I try to combine with my formal education when I am painting in those days .
Basically all life is a school and we are learning all the time and continue to do it until will be gone…. These days I am doing primarily judged in or invitational plein air events and Art Shows nationally .
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My life and career changed in 2000 year when I left my native country and came to US . My English was very poor. I didn’t drive a car because public transportation is very developed in Russia and I didn’t need driver license . So it ‘s took me some time to learn a lot new things to adjust to new reality before I opened my business and could drive and attend plein air competitions . I began from local events so it wasn’t far away to drive for me . Remember as my husband was ”escorting ” me to the place of event , leaving to his job , I painted all day and at evening time drove back myself sometimes getting lost .,,, My fellow artists laughed and said ; ” Would you be able to get home yourself? ” I think that my vision memory saved me then . Later with years I became more sure in myself and began enlarge the radius of my destinations. Now, thanks to GPS, my learning of the English language, and improved confidence, I can travel all over America by myself.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I have just one business partner, my husband Steve. He was very supportive from the first day when I came to America. We started talking online in 1998. He was sent to Germany on temporary duty in the summer of 1999. at that time it was easier to get a visa to travel to Germany than to America. So, I traveled to Germany, by bus, to meet him. After a year he came to Russia to marry me. Today he is running my website and helps me during art festivals. But the most important thing he provides is the morale support, because all creative people need it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tatyanasfineart.com
- Instagram: tatyanarobberts
- Facebook: Tatyana Robberts
Image Credits
TATYANA ROBBERTS