Textile Artist Robin Cowley
When you hear the word "quilting" it may bring to mind a treasured quilt your grandmother made, or the talents of the Amish, or perhaps a gathering of elderly women gossiping at a quilting bee in a church basement. This is partly why the woman I chose to interview does not consider herself a quilter but rather a textile artist.
Robin Cowley spent a lot of time as a child drawing things around her and copying the "funnies" from the newspaper. When she was about eight years old she took an art class at a local museum and found the encouragement she needed to trust her own ideas and found the courage to create her own designs instead of copying comic strips. As she matured, her high school and college years were dedicated to art classes of all types.
After completing her education, Robin held various office jobs, always enjoying the detail work most. Drawn further in by her love of all things detail-oriented, she became a small-business owner, typing construction specifications for architects and engineers. Later, at her husband's suggestion, she closed her business and went out on a limb trying to work full-time as an artist.
When asked why she chose quilting as her artistic outlet Robin had this to say:
"I've always enjoyed sewing and working with cloth. I also used to produce abstract art. I started thinking that I could combine both -- not really a clue as to how to do it. But I stumbled ahead, with limited success. Then I discovered a big circle of people who do exactly that. What a surprise to find that I was doing something that lots of other people were already doing. At this point, I prefer not even to use the term quilt because so many people instantly think of old-fashioned bed covers. I prefer textile art."
The process she goes through to create her finished pieces is also not typical of traditional quilting. This is how she describes her process from inspiration to completion:
"I usually start with an idea from nature that I abstract. Although sometimes a piece of my hand-dyed cloth will be enough to start an idea. I cut fabric, put it up on my design wall (8'x 8') and see what needs to come next. I keep working by cutting and placing more and more fabric on the wall. Once I'm satisfied, I start fastening the pieces together by fusing or sewing. As I work, I see the need for additional paint or ink lines. I use my thread as a design element as well, forming new "colors" by overlaying fabric with dense, colorful stitching."
Granada Stripes
In addition to finding inspiration in nature, Robin's creative mind is also stimulated by architecture. Frank Gehry's Guggenheim in Bilbao and his Disney Hall in Los Angeles, California fascinate her, as does the work of several Japanese architects. She says that she looks up to many of the woman in the fiber art community that she has become a part of and she learns a great deal from them. Further, she continues to take classes at fiber seminars to stay up-to-date concerning the business of art.
Besides her textile art, Robin also finds joy in gardening. She has created a nice balance between gardening and her art by using the flowers to paint with. Her husband is a landscape architect and they often work in their garden together. The love and joy they put into their work must create a breathtaking scene because their garden is often on San Francisco home tours, and once in a while is photographed for magazines.
I asked Robin what was the greatest obstacle she faced while pursuing her dream and her answer was simple--none. She elaborated by sharing something that I think everyone should hear and take to heart:
"I'm very lucky in that I never take a 'no' personally. I feel very strong within myself as an artist, and am not perturbed when someone doesn't like my work, or doesn't want to show it. I simply either persist or move on. I follow the '3 A's of business': Attitude, Availability and Ability."
Imagine how far you could go if you were to adopt Robin's attitude and believe in yourself enough to follow your own dreams!
You can see more of Robin Cowley's work at her website.