Robyn Scott
Self-portrait for Let’s Talk Durham
Artist Robyn Scott and her kaleidoscopic art take us down the rabbit hole:
What’s your end of the day drink?
Definitely a cup of Earl Grey tea. I have a family connection to England and have fond memories of sharing tea with my grandparents. It was part of their daily culture. To me, drinking tea is synonymous with relaxation, so it’s the perfect drink to have just before bed.
Your art contains elements of disguise. What is the significance of this thematic expression?
I like to hide things in my drawings. It’s an invitation for the audience to take their time with the work. Each person sees different things and I like to leave the meaning up to their interpretation. To me, disguise is an element of my life. I live with an invisible illness. When I was younger, there was a lot of stigma towards people who had disabilities and illnesses, so in a way I felt like I was hiding in plain sight. It’s also about how we, as both artists and viewers, look at the world we live in. Each individual will experience their environment differently, even if they have similar experiences in general. This is a vital component of visual arts, especially as a means of communication. The interplay between intent and perception is what keeps art intriguing.
Which of your recent works would you like to share and why?
Mosquito and Sting (below) are indicative of the style I’m working in now. I use layers of ink to create my color palette and then add in details with India ink pens. Both drawings can be seen in person at the Raleigh Convention Center as part of Art in Translation: Finding a Visual Voice through November 11, 2022.
Mosquito, 2021, Pen & Ink mounted on wood panel
Sting, 2021, Pen & Ink mounted on wood panel
What would you do if you saw a flying saucer?
That would be really cool. I would grab my camera and start taking photos. I could do a whole series about meeting the Aliens.
I will never_______.
I will never stick with one exact style for too long. I get bored easily and like to experiment with new media and ways of displaying my work. There are certain materials I will always go back to intermittently, but I like to let my art take me on an adventure. Art, just like real life, is dynamic.
