Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Hackett.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
From a young age my parents nurtured my sister and I to be artists; they would take us to the art supply store each week and we could pick out “whatever we wanted”. I think them encouraging us to make art and having materials accessible played a large part in my journey. At a young age I had a lot of energy and art was one thing I could really focus on. It came as no surprise that I chose “Impressionist Painting” to focus on as an independent learning project in grade school – today I teach elementary art in the same Art Room that I once got my start in. I also had a kick ass high school art teacher – Joy Seidler.
Please tell us about your art.
I am an Impressionist landscape painter. For me, the paintbrush is the tool that takes me down the rabbit hole; it is my escape and time to self-reflect. This fulfills my natural need as an artist to portray and share my images.
I am drawn to the landscape because of my spiritual connection to nature. My landscape series reflect shared experiences and spaces that I have encountered throughout my life and travels. The original images were captured on an adventure ranging from California, Massachusetts, Mexico and across the Unites States.
I am interested in shifting scale and working small; I’ve always made such large paintings and wanted to explore smaller canvases. I am also interested in the concept of painting massive spaces on smaller surfaces. For medium, I use acrylic paint, tempera paint, digital photography, plaster, watercolor, found objects, cardboard and collage. These diverse and surprising materials allow me to explore conceptual modes related to objecthood and context. I wanted to explore the concept of painting on items found in the recycling bin as a way to connect with our planets ever shrinking resources and give these objects a new life, as a canvas. I’ve always made my artwork for me because it’s something I felt like I had to do. I try not to worry about whether the viewer likes my art. While they are deciding, I just keep painting.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I was lucky to connect with my community of artists early on in my life but that only happened because I went to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. My advice would be going to places where artists will be, such as Maude Morgan Center for the Arts, the Danforth Museum or Amazing Things Art Center. Try going to live figure drawing classes or go to the Gardner Museums Meet Up event. In the end, time alone gives me more time to paint.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I post my work online at http://robinhackett4.wixsite.com/robinmhackett. Next year I am having a three-person exhibition at the Amazing Things Art Center in Framingham, MA with my sister Cory Shea and husband Paul Hackett, so look out for the show and come join us! To support my cause as an art educator, make art supplies readily available to your kids and ask them what they are learning about in art class. Continue the conversations of art daily, and expose them to art museums and galleries. Please donate supplies to your local art program!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://robinhackett4.wixsite.com/robinmhackett
- Email: robin.artist.shea@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Robin Hackett
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