Robyn Hamilton-Smith - Inspiring Creative Stories
I had the pleasure of meeting Robyn Hamilton-Smith through Flourish: The Art of Creative Living in 2020, amidst the global pandemic. Since then, she's been an active member in the community and I've loved sharing her creative living adventures over the past year.
Robyn has an insatiable appetite for learning new creative practices, as well as a beautiful curiosity and willingness to blend personal development with creative living and personal expression.
As a retiree, she has prioritized herself and her creativity in her life now and her enthusiasm, joy and uplifting outlook are a delight to be around.
We had so much fun connecting on the community calls in Flourish last year and I’m so looking forward to continuing to be part of Robyn’s creative adventures ahead. She has begun selling her artwork and is a wonderful inspiration for being brave and stepping into new territory.
Robyn took the time to answer my interview questions and I’m so honoured she did. Getting an insight into her creative life is inspiring!
I think you’re going to love it, too.
Let’s dive in.
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your artwork? I would love to know what led you to pick up a paintbrush?
It is now over a year since I retired from full-time work. At this stage in my life, I asked myself some thought-provoking questions like where do I want to live; how do I want to live; what do I want to do; and what do I need to do to make the answers to these questions come to fruition?
Well, 12 months ago I moved from Tasmania to NSW where I am closer to my children, the weather is much warmer, and I just enjoy exploring much more of a state that I only visited for the excitement that Sydney offered.
I am never happier than doing something creative. I have always ‘made things’ as a child (and continue to ‘make things’ as an adult) – anything from making something out of recycled materials, knitting, crocheting, and best of all drawing, painting, and learning whatever I can about any new creative process.
The area I now live in is close to the Hawkesbury Valley which I found to be an amazing artistic community. So, I have dived in and participated in some very interest courses and classes – actually anything to do with ‘making things’. One of my favourite discoveries has been the Hawkesbury Remakery in Windsor where they do all things creative and reuse recyclable materials. It also has a shop where they sell recycled materials, as well as the items that people have made. They conduct classes so I have learnt how to crochet, some upholstery techniques, and how to use alcohol inks for painting.
Until retiring, I only painted spasmodically. It has been so good to pick up a paintbrush again. I have not completed any formal art training (much as I would love to have though). I take any opportunity to learn more about drawing and painting so even though I am self-taught to a degree, I take advantage of any means of improving and learning more about many art mediums – oils, watercolours, pastels, and most recently acrylics and also alcohol inks.
For most of my artistic life, I have painted in a realistic style – to be honest, I didn’t know how to let go and just express myself emotionally through painting. Being keen to push myself out of my comfort zone though and having worked through some personal development issues I am now wonderfully comfortable experimenting and expressing myself through abstract work.
What do you love most about being creative?
What I love most about being creative is the way I get lost in doing anything creative. It is pure bliss, even with the frustration of a piece not necessarily turning out how I’d envisioned it should. Even pieces that I previously judged to be ‘rubbish’, I have sometimes re-looked at with different eyes & painted over them with embellishments and have ended up enjoying the changed result.
What are some of the challenges?
My challenges at the moment are lack of an ideal studio space. I am extremely fortunate to rent half of a double garage for a studio but it does have some downfalls such as distance from where I live, and weather affecting the space – making it very hot, dusty and humid in summer which can have an effect on the drying of paint and also resin.
Another challenge is sometimes doubting myself about putting myself out there to sell my art works. I still feel shy about doing this.
Can you please describe your creative space? Where do you like to create?
I feel truly fortunate to have a studio space. I rent half of a double garage. I love having this space for myself to make art. I have all my equipment & tools that I need close at hand, I can make a mess, I don’t have to pack up afterwards (which is fabulous after working in a house where you have to clear the kitchen table off every time your family wants to eat!)
How did you develop your skills?
Reading art books
Visiting exhibitions
Learning from other creatives
Adult learning classes
Internet classes
Internet videos
Practising, practising, practising
Experimenting, experimenting, experimenting
Has anyone ever made you feel discouraged about your creative expression with their criticism – I hope not – but if so, how did you navigate that experience?
Not really. However, as I was growing up it was never encouraged as a serious pursuit – (the old argument “you can’t make a living out of art”). I was not encouraged to even just do art for the sake of playing, it had to be for a reason – eg a present for someone, a card, something to sell (at a fare, market stall, to make some money).
What do you find inspiring? How do you nurture your inspiration?
I love to interact with people who also love to be creative, no matter what that may be. I feel inspired and it makes me want to improve what I do, to try new avenues of creativity, and to just appreciate that there is beauty in all sorts of creative pursuits.
What surprised you most about expressing your creativity?
That a lot of people like what I do and are very encouraging and supportive
When do you like to be creative? How much time do you spend in the studio during the week on average?
Mornings are good times for me to create, but also evenings. My studio space is extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter which affect some of the work I do, as the paint either dries too quickly and cracks, or too slowly and remains sticky for ages (this is especially difficult when using resin). Generally, I would be at the studio at least 4 days per week as well as doing some work at home for another day or two.
Have you experienced any gifts in the midst of deepening your relationship with your creativity?
As I start to show up and put myself ‘out there’ for people to see my work I am constantly surprised at the number of beautiful souls I have met that support and encourage me. I admit to having some limiting beliefs in myself at times, which I believe is probably quite predominant in creative souls.
Questions I ask myself such as: ‘Am I good enough?’ ‘Will people take me seriously without a qualification?’, ‘Am I worthy?’ to name just a few.
However, this is not substantiated, and I have found a wonderful sense of camaraderie and encouragement in the artistic communities I am now a part of.
What are you reading or listening to at the moment?
At the moment I am reading Dr Daniel Amen ‘How to Feel Better Fast & Make it Last’.
Listening to on-line training sessions to improve how I do daily meditation.
I love almost any type of music and am a somewhat frustrated musician having learnt to play a variety of instruments over the years eg piano, flute, harmonica, guitar, and most recently, rock drumming (not well but I don’t let that stop me!)
Where can we connect with you?
Instagram: Robyn Hamilton-Smith
Thank you so much for sharing your creative life with us, Robyn!
Flourish: The Art of Creative Living is open for registration now for the 2021 intake, for a short time. If you would like to make creativity a priority in your life this year, I would be honoured to paint with you and support you in making that intention come true. Please explore the program and details about this fun-filled, supportive, year-long creativity school, right here.