Local artist branches out to acrylic paintings with beautiful pieces that continue to combine her profound passion for nature with her artistic talent, writes Kelly Kidgell.
Pictures: Kelly Williams
Having recently returned from the Kruger National Park, it is obvious just how much inspiration Robyn Salmond draws from her time spent in the wild.
“Both my parents painted, so I come from a really creative family and grew up surrounded by their art,” says Robyn.
As a child she could often be found drawing or painting, however the call of the wild lured her into studying to be a field guide. “I would love to eventually evolve my art into the textile and homeware industries, but my ultimate dream would be to live in and paint from the bush – where I could merge my artistic career with my fielding background.”
Robyn would love to be able to one day offer painting retreats where others could be taught and inspired by the majestical sights and sounds of Africa. Her biggest influencers are being completely engulfed by the sanctity of nature, and her parents – she continues to paint under her maiden name, ‘Ansell’, as a gesture of gratitude to her mother and late father.
The Robyn Ansell Art studio is based in Winston Park, but if she was lucky enough to be sent on an all-expense paid trip to paint anywhere in the entire world… Robyn would choose Botswana.
When Robyn isn’t painting, she loves to play the piano and guitar, or go for a run – she hopes to do a marathon in the near future.
“Dedicating some of my time and work to a worthy cause is very important to me,” says Robyn. A percentage of her sales gets donated to conservation, and she’s involved with various outreach projects – including the Endangered Wildlife Trust and Threatened Amphibian Programme. “It’s been wonderful to be a part of educating communities and removing damaging stigmas attached to certain species.”
Since the beginning of time, art has been a vital tool in documenting history and is often used to create awareness on social, economic, and political topics. A universal language of expressive healing that has no demographic boundaries.
“For me, art is a beautiful way to bring people of all backgrounds together to start important conversations,” says Robyn. “I’ve exhibited at the Hilton Arts Festival as well as Art in the Park, and I’m really excited to showcase my work at the Kloof Conservancy Indigenous Open Gardens happening on July 2 and 3.”
Why the shift in medium from oil paintings to acrylics? “Oils can take months to create and dry, and cost a lot more for buyers to purchase. I decided to move to acrylics, which are less time-consuming,” explains Robyn. Not only does this help her creative process, but also allows her to sell her paintings and prints to a wider market at a lower cost. “I believe everybody should be able to afford to treat themselves to some artwork every now and again, especially if there’s a certain piece that speaks to their heart.”
If your heart connects with the wild yet uncomplicated places and corners of nature, then you’ll certainly resonate with the works of Robyn Ansell Art – where brush meets paper to delicately balance realism and creativity in an expression of her deep and committed love affair with our African Wild. *
FOR MORE INFO: www.robynansellart.com | hello@robynansellart.com.