Meet Robin

We were lucky to catch up with Robin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Robin, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Many creative people experience “blocks”. I think there are many reasons for this, but most likely their muse of inspiration has scampered off because they have not been giving it time and space to communicate.

I think the best way is to come at it sideways. Don’t chase inspiration, take it on a date. Do something fun and interesting and wake up to the present moment you are experiencing. Look around, examine what catches your eye. Take a moment to listen 360: close your eyes and hear all the sounds around your head. Without opening your eyes, identify which direction each sound is coming from.

Take yourself on a walk. What are you thinking? Listen to your thoughts as you would a play or a podcast. Have a lighthearted conversation with yourself. Or just try and quiet your thoughts and enjoy some “blank” time, where you are just observing and listening. Inspiration tends to creep up in these moments, so set the stage to greet it.

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’ve been an artist my whole life. Like most freelance artists, I’ve learned that diversification is key – not just for artistic exploration, but also for making a living. I’m multi-disciplinary both by choice and by necessity.

Over the years, I’ve gained experience in a wide range of art forms: interactive sculpture, mural and fine art painting, plus props, costuming and bodypainting for live events and fine art photography. Once you find your voice as an artist, it’s exciting to experiment across different mediums.

I usually have a lot of projects going at once. That used to make me worry nothing would ever get finished, but with time I’ve seen they all come together at their own pace. My studio is set up in stations now, so I can leave one project, shift to another, and circle back later. It keeps things flowing and I never get bored.

I have an art gallery and studio on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. We host a free Art Party on the Second Saturday of each month, where the public can meet me and other local Vegas artists. There’s rotating art exhibits, drinks, music and great conversations.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three qualities that have helped me are confidence, community and gratitude.

Being an artist is a passionate career choice, and the “starving artist” trope has its roots in reality. I’ve certainly had my struggles, but I mixed in a healthy dose of delusional self-love to keep myself going. Believing in yourself is important. Young people can survive being bohemian and broke while drunk on the joy of creating great things. My crew of creatives supported each other and found ways to have fun for pennies. Potluck dance parties and clothes swaps were pretty standard back in my art school days and beyond. We all looked fabulous in our thrift store fashion!

As I got older, I started to fear my lack of funds. Poverty adds a level of stress that magnifies even small problems – a parking ticket could mean going without groceries. I realized all my time was spent on art and volunteer work. It was a richly satisfying life, but I wanted more financial security and the freedom that goes with it. I had to let go of some limiting beliefs around money. I thought that you couldn’t be “good” and wealthy, so I needed to retrain my thinking.

But I have never let go of my sense of community from those days, and I am a firm believer that rising waters raise all ships. I am thrilled when friends succeed, because it just make me feel cooler for knowing them! I surround myself with talented people who are truly happy for my success, too. We all network, collaborate and raise each other up. Finding your chosen families is important.

Art as a career is a long game. I’ve learned to celebrate the little wins along the way and be grateful for every step. Over time, those small victories add up to big milestones.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I always welcome fun social media collaborations. I have done collabs with some crazy YouTubers like Mr Beast, Airrack and LaGanja Estranja. I love working with fellow creatives and making some magic happen.

I have also been thinking of putting art lessons online so I would love to find some talented Videographer and Editor down for that. During Covid, I taught online drawing classes to over 100 students, and now I keep hearing how art making has changed their lives. I’m feeling really drawn to spreading that joy of creativity to a wider audience.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photo 1: with pink painted model – Photo courtesy VRLU
Photo 2: with model in plant shop – Photo by Richard Brusky
Photo 3: with my flower mural – Photo Courtesy Robin Slonina
Photo 4: in art gallery – Photo by Shannon Dorn
Photo 5: in art box – Photo Courtesy Robin Slonina
Photo 6: painting sun – Photo Courtesy Robin Slonina

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
Are you walking a path—or wandering?

The answer to whether you are walking or wandering often changes from season to season

Highlighter Series
What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?

With so many high-achievers in our community it was super interesting to learn about the

Highlighter Series
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?

We asked some of the wisest people we know what they would tell their younger