ROBYN YOUNG ARTIFACTS
AR. TI. FACT: an object made by human hands.
Robyn Young Artifacts was launched in the winter of 2016. Already a practicing artist, my hope was to utilize my studio practice as a way to heal from the experience of a recent job loss, and to join so many of the local artists I admired in the handmade market community. This served as the starting point in wanting to develop a body of work that was just as stirring as pieces hanging in a high-end gallery, but with an affordable price tag and the accessibility of being found at artisan markets and pop up events.
There is a romanticism that comes with buying something handmade- shopping small, the idea that you're supporting someone's ambitions, and the fact that you are now going to have a trace of that person's ideas hanging out on your walls and in your everyday life. I love that through markets and partnering with local stockists, I get to directly connect with the people in my community that are supporting my studio practice.
The work stems from nature references- ethereal moons, geodes, currents of water, topographic lines in aerial views, pools and blooms of color. Some of the work has touches of gold or copper in keeping with a modern aesthetic.
Since the start of the brand, a line of additional products have been created echoing the same intentions of the first paintings. Prints for the art collector on a budget, hand dyed watercolor cards for the most important notes and letters, and ceramic ornaments layered with drips of paint. I continue to work on raw canvas since that's where my studio roots are, and I enjoy creating large commission pieces for interior spaces.
The Materials
My work has always been process-driven, with an interest in materials and how they converge.
What are the original paintings made with?
I work with a combination of Golden fluid acrylic paints, inks, powdered pigments, fabric dye, and watercolors. The paper is a synthetic paper with a slick quality that doesn’t warp or tear. Unlike a traditional watercolor paper, the paint does not soak into the surface, but dries on top. This is how the magic happens- the striking textures and the richness in color remain intact. There is an unpredictable factor in working with the materials I’ve chosen, and that definitely adds to the appeal and challenge in this way of painting.