Meet Robin MacDonald-Foley | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robin MacDonald-Foley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always been artistic. After junior high I enrolled in Commercial/Graphic Arts at the Vocational Technical School in my hometown of Quincy, Massachusetts. After completing the high school program, I also obtained a postgraduate diploma, and remained in touch with my art teacher/mentor, Sol Levenson, until his passing at age ninety-five. The art program led to my specializing in sign and trade show exhibit design, enabling me to support myself. When I was accepted to the fine arts program at The Art Institute of Boston, it was a turning point for me. Majoring in painting, along with a sculpture scholarship and intensive figurative studies, I would learn the process of stone carving, which became one of my deepest passions.

When I lived in California, artwork was riding my bike in the canyons with a small pack of paint supplies. Looking out over the Pacific, I’d capture the views below and around me. I was in awe of the sunsets and that golden hour when the hills were a blaze of color. To this day, I still carry drawing materials and a camera when I travel.

One of my earliest memories was a first prize award for a collage piece I entered in a regional art contest for grade schools. I was six years old. Living by the ocean, collecting rocks and shells at every opportunity led to my curiosity of natural forms in nature. When my dad taught me how to ride a bike, I got hooked on two wheels and the shy kid in me began to feel empowered. I guess you could say I stayed true to myself from an early age—the free spirit creative me fit a lifestyle I’ve always been drawn to. “Art as Cycling” was my first solo exhibition. Thirty years later I’m still fully committed to a life of art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently working in my outdoor stone studio using hand tools in a direct carving technique (no model), which allows the stone to evolve over time. Chipping away a shape is a long process but as a conceptual thinker, I let the stone sit for while allowing a balance between what I feel and how I’m guided by the material itself. My photography is a way to further express my themes in land and seascapes. Each medium is so different yet they truly compliment each other. Growing up with family members who were painters, sculptors, photographers, and dressmakers, creativity was always encouraged. It seemed natural that I was destined to follow in the arts. I’ve been back in Massachusetts for a while now making my way into the Boston art scene, as well as teaching art—something I love to do. Sharing knowledge has always been part of my art journey.

I spend time by the ocean visiting the islands that were part of my childhood. Observing the physical changes over decades, I’ve written and presented ongoing series work in stone and photography concerning the shifts of climate change and how it has altered the shorelines of what once was, and what remains. Nature is where my heart is and my stories will continue to be told through my art. Often self-portraiture enters my work as another way of recording time and place. My work shares my inner thoughts, provoking awareness through the drama and beauty of our Earth.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have always been drawn to museums and would have to say that some of my favorites are on the west coast. The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and The Huntington in San Marino, along with some hiking or biking in the Santa Monica range would be part of any LA trip for me. In Massachusetts, I’d suggest Boston’s SoWa Art & Design District with its many galleries, shops, and artist studios—all highlighted at the First Friday gallery receptions each month. Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art and the Seaport district are not to be missed. In the summer, book a ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park, and be sure to visit Rockport as well. If you love seafood, New England is where it’s at!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would have to thank my family, especially my aunts who shared their art experiences with me. One day I received a box of pastels and a sketch pad—my first real art supplies beyond crayons. Later I would inherit a French easel and paints, among other things. All of my family and friends have been there for me over the years.

A shoutout goes to the fine folks at Art City Studios in Ventura, California. Although I would visit the impressive sculpture and stone shop as often as possible, I did not have a place to carve so I joined a local art gallery and got to know some of the resident artists in Ventura. They have been so kind to ship my blocks of stone across country straight to my door and sculpture studio. I am forever grateful for their continued help in selecting and shipping my stone.

Website: https://robinjmf.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stoneskystudio/

Image Credits
Image Credits: Robin MacDonald-Foley