Meet Courtnay Robbins: Artist

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

Hi Courtnay, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
When something gets difficult, it may be tempting to give up. But sometimes that can be the most important time to push forward. When I work through challenges with patience and dedication, I am giving myself the opportunity to grow. It is often in these moments that I get my biggest creative boosts. For me, it is time to give up (or rather move on to something different) when I no longer find enjoyment in what I am focusing my time and energy on. I like to remember the passion that drove me to start a creative endeavor in the first place, yet accept that I am constantly changing and what excited me before might no longer be sparking my inspiration now.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work as a professional photographer and have always enjoyed learning about other artistic mediums. A few years ago, I took an indigo workshop with Haven Lin-Kirk. Honestly, I wasn’t very good at it, but I enjoyed the process so much that I set up my own indigo vat in my backyard and began experimenting. I enjoyed the mystery of unwrapping a dyed piece of fabric to discover my creation. Sometimes I would end up with a pattern that I did not expect, and those would often be my favorite pieces. In a way, it reminds me of the photographic process that I fell in love with before the times of digital cameras. You wouldn’t know what you got until you were in the darkroom, enlarging a print. The unknown, the possibility…. that inspires me. With practice and a lot of mistakes, I began to get better at what I was doing. I’d get inspiration from patterns in nature and get ideas in that flowing conscious state just before sleep. In 2020, my photography work slowed down a lot due to the pandemic. It was the perfect time for me to focus on indigo dye. My brand naybird was born and I began selling my hand-dyed indigo textiles. I work with ethically-sourced 100% organic cotton to create scarves, shawls and bandanas. Every item I make is one-of-a-kind, there’s no template for what I do and I plan to continue that way. I’m excited to continue to grow the naybird brand because I find geniune joy in the magic of indigo!

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.
I really love spending time in nature so if friends are coming to visit me we will probably spend a lot of time outdoors. Perhaps we would go on a hike in Angeles Crest or enjoy the beaches and dramatic rocky coastline in Malibu. I love wandering the gardens at The Huntington and Descanso, but also some lesser known places like the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena and the meditation gardens at the SRF on Mt. Washington. I’d be sure to spend an afternoon in Little Tokyo. We’d have a hot matcha at Chado Tea House and then head up the street for mochi at the iconic Japanese confectionary Fugetsu-do. We would check out the shops and then go to Hama Sushi for dinner. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am really grateful to have had amazing parents that were always supportive of me in all of my creative incarnations. Both my mom and dad were both talented artists themselves, but neither had mentors who encouraged their creative growth when they were young. I think because of that, it was extra important to them to nurture my imagination and introduce me to a wide spectrum of interests and ideas. They always encouraged me to do what I loved. My dad passed away recently, and I want to honor the huge impact his love and support has had on my life.

Website: www.courtnayrobbins.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/madebynaybird

Image Credits
Courtnay Robbins, Donato Bragagnolo