Meet Riley Robinson | Painter / Multi-Media Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Riley Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Riley, how do you think about risk?
Being an artist and pursing a creative career of any kind requires taking risks, and risk demands resilience. It’s a double edged sword, not every risk offers reward, but almost always offers growth and new perspective. I wouldn’t be here today and have the opportunities I do without the risks I’ve taken in both my life and career. I didn’t grow up in a family of artists or around anyone really who knew what it meant to practice art professionally, but I was lucky to be supported in the risk of pursing the path that I did. My most rewarding experiences have come from taking the leap, allowing myself to be vulnerable, and trusting that the process leads to something more meaningful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I create mixed media paintings that are process driven, mainly inspired by material layering and traditional photographic techniques. I’m really interested in the interplay of color and reflected light on a surface, as simple as that is, evident in my use of saturated pallets and layers of translucent medium. My work derived from a lot of experimenting and lack of interest in the “academic paintings” I had been creating in college. I found myself falling out of love with the creative process, ultimately going back to square one to focus on my materials and themes I’ve always been drawn to. That was definitely a breakthrough, I started genuinely enjoying what I was doing again and it translated into what I was creating. I’ve also dabbled in some installation works recently, the idea of generating art as a consuming experience is something I’d like to expand more on in the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Works in West Midtown is always fun to grab some food and drinks at. Walking on the Beltline is a given with plenty of spots to explore, one of my favorites being Atlanta Worldwide. I’d have to take them to one of the galleries or exhibitions going on around the city, eventually heading down to EAV for a night out.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely, there’s a long list of people who deserve credit for supporting me and my journey so far. From my family, friends, professors, clients, and galleries who have all taken a chance on me, I’m extremely grateful for everyone. I owe a huge shoutout to my Nana who essentially introduced me to art as a child and encouraged me since day 1, enrolling me in courses and taking trips to museums together. She’s been an incredible influence to me as an individual and artist.

Website: https://www.artbyriles.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artist.riles/