We were lucky to catch up with Beth Robinson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Beth, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
As a child of parents who were missionaries, we moved a lot – every two years, but sometimes I had to change schools multiple times within those two years.
Consequently, I learned at a very young age, to be at ease with always being the outsider, to be okay with living on the margins, but also learn how to find others in the room who feel the same way and to connect with them. Those life lessons are present in the way I show up as an artist who creates unconventional work. I don’t compromise my vision and I strive to make connections with others in order to create community and feel supported in what I do.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a self-taught artist who started making “Strange Dolls” in 2003. I had dabbled in various mediums for a few years but it was the discovery of polymer clay allowed me to combine my interests in sculpting, painting, and sewing. This gave me a concrete foundation of expression in the form of “Strange Dolls”.
Strange Dolls are one-of-a-kind, hand-sculpted art dolls. They are macabre… but beautiful. I frequently use organic objects with a story in my work: hair, bone, teeth, and objects from the natural world.
Dolls represent precious things, sentimentality, and innocence. I am attracted to manipulating people’s natural response to the doll form by pairing it with the grotesque. The Strange Dolls aesthetic is dark, creepy, and macabre. And while they are called “dolls”, Strange Dolls are not something you would buy for a child, unless you want to give them nightmares.
I recently relocated from Burlington, Vermont to St. Louis, Missouri where I maintain a regular studio practice in Maplewood. I am a resident artist at the Soulard Art Gallery in St Louis, MO where I display my work and curate shows. My work is collected across the globe and can be purchased at www.strangedolls.net.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
To be a professional artist you have to be incredibly hard working, resilient, and committed to your craft. Aside from the work itself, you have to accept that you are running a business. You have to wear all the hats. You have to be everything from an accountant to a marketing specialist. You have to be able to think creatively about your business because it is unique to you and no one template will work. You have to be open to experimentation because when things fail, you have to get back up and try something else. Being a professional artist is not a “real” career path, you have to carve the path yourself and be willing to do anything to make it work.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Artists tend to create communities. And there is a very good reason for that. We need support and the only people that truly understand our challenges are other creatives. It is also helpful to have other eyes on your work, get feedback when you are stuck, or if there is a skill you lack development in, someone who can provide the resources so you know how to solve the problem.
The most impactful help I have received has been the artist collectives I was involved with at SPACE Gallery in Burlington, Vermont, and now the Soulard Art Gallery in St Louis.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.strangedolls.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strangedolls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethrobinsondolls/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/strangedolls
Image Credits
Photograph of Beth Robinson by Matt Hogan. All photographs of the dolls by Beth Robinson.
