Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Gridley Nickell.
Robyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Atlanta, GA. but my parents moved to Memphis that same year. I’m the second of 5 sisters and the only one that was always reading and drawing. My mom had to find scraps of paper in her purse or the car for me-I would draw my sisters, our pets, pictures from the animal pages in our set of encyclopedias, and birds I viewed outside. I was obsessed with horses and dogs and talked my Dad into getting a horse when I was 10 years old. I was an equestrian until my 30s.
We were a restaurant family with all of us girls working from about age 11-12. As soon as we could count back change and make most things on the menu, we could work and earn some money. We first owned a hamburger and ice cream diner, Stop and Tell then a few of the local Loebs BBQ locations. My Dad worked as controller for Loeb’s Enterprises but the CEO knew Dad knew food so he asked if he would take over a few of his bbq shops and see what he could do with them.
After 6 years with Loebs, he went out on his opening the first Gridley’s Fine BBQ in 1975. Between the Bbq biz and breeding, riding, and racing horses, we had a wonderfully crazy life until late 1983 when my Dad tragically died. We were all shattered but valiantly fought to keep everything together-we made the very difficult decision to sell the business in the late 80s. When your life is thrown so many curve balls, it’s difficult to keep up with a life passion and my art took a back seat for a while.
Although I was an award-winning watercolorist in high school I do want to thank my amazing Kingsbury High School art teacher, Ms. Linda Gibson who introduced me to Andrew Wyeth and watercolor-and continued painting into my 20s, participating in gallery shows and selling a few pieces, my life took me on a more practical path. I married, had 3 wonderful children, and helped maneuver through all the chaos after my father’s passing. I became a newspaper sales account executive and got my real estate broker’s license. I worked on keeping my marriage together but sadly it didn’t last. I was able to complete my BFA with a concentration in art education at the University of
Memphis in my late 40s and thankfully rediscovered my love of art. I LOVED teaching my Houston Middle School students-watching them learn and grow. I made sure to introduce a wide variety of mediums and techniques but had to make sure they knew how watercolor should work, and the magical qualities it possessed. I started an art club, Artfully HMS, and held multiple yearly events and shows, sponsored field trips and camps, and offered a truly fun and safe space for my kiddos. Then, I decided to retire in my mid-60s.
What to do?? I have been told by many, I’m the busiest retired person they know. I focus on watercolor and watercolor/ink works-originals and fine art prints of animals, southern images, nature, locally themed designs, holiday-themed designs, and fun quirky designs that I’ll come up with as I attempt to go to sleep each night. I do commission works if asked and I feel I will do the subject justice. I love working with clay-I have had a couple of shows just dedicated to my clay works. I want to begin offering watercolor workshops soon. I am also currently working on a family cookbook and a revival of some of our wonderful family sauces and such.
My mind never stops and I am so thankful it doesn’t. I do have days I feel sort of overwhelmed but I am blessed to have my 3 kids to help me along with other family members for support and assistance. I have begun participating in several local art festivals and events and hope to expand throughout the state. I also have some of my wares in a couple of local shops with a few more soon to be added.
I have established a website, RynRanRun.com, and continue to work on getting it off the ground along with all of my other projects in the works.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
At age 68, the road has had some bumps, washouts, detours, and delays but I am an optimist. I strive to remain an optimist even as things around me challenge that goal. I’ve had failed marriages, health scares, financial issues, multiple career moves, and all sorts of disappointing moments BUT more things have gone right than wrong and I am truly blessed with my wonderful family and friends and the ability to laugh and brush things off. You gotta be as positive as you can.
After the failure of our family restaurant, I have always wanted to do things that I and my children and fabulous grandchildren will be proud of. I call it a failure because even though we were sort of forced into selling it, it has weighed very heavily on me. I was so very close to my father, Clyde Gridley, and I cannot imagine how he would feel if he knew what we went through trying to keep it afloat and to no avail.
I want to do something to honor him and my mom, Celestine. My art is only one part of this journey-the relaunch of some of the Gridley products and cookbook is a huge step to accomplish this goal. I truly hope I manage to pull this off. Yes ma’am.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I focus primarily on watercolor and watercolor/ink works although I also do hand-built clay pieces, acrylic, and mixed media works. I do some commission works, a lot of pet portraits, and a few homes, churches, old barns, etc. A lot of my original designs are printed as fine art prints and on shirts, hand towels, ornaments, stickers, and more. I am proud of my ability to dream up and create original designs such as my Memphis selections and holiday works but I am most proud when I go back to my roots and complete a rural, unbelievably rustic, and unruly farmhouse or barn. I channel my love of Andrew Wyeth and see what happens.
I believe what sets me apart or at least what I tend to hear from others is that my work is like nothing they’ve ever seen. It’s different (whether that’s good or bad!) and original. I am a visual person, a visual artist-I see things in my head and then figure a way to put them down. I also challenge myself to take a photo from one of the thousands of reference pics I’ve photographed and see what I can do with it instead of just making a copy. I adore playing with watercolor with salt and alcohol and sponges and such to see where it will go!!
Oh, my website name, RynRanRun, came about after my grandkids called me Ryn, a shortened version of Robyn and I added the ran run because I seemed to always be moving or doing something. Voila.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
To use it, use the experiences but don’t let them pull you down.
Learn from it, and use your art and writing to express what you’re feeling in those dark moments to allow the light to get in. I wrote poetry almost every night during the COVID lockdown. It helped a lot.
Pricing:
- Original watercolor paintings range from $75-$500. These would be 5×7”s up to 20×24”
- Larger works-ask for prices
- My signed fine art prints range from $6-$50
- Printed T-shirts and sweatshirts range from $26-$50
- Other printed products-ornaments, $15-20, hand towels, $15-25
Contact Info:
- Website: RynRanRun.com
- Instagram: @rynran.run
- Facebook: Facebook.com/RynRanRun
