Today we’d like to introduce you to Charley Robinson.
Hi Charley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
For most individuals, it can take a lifetime to find out what their true passion is, but I was lucky enough to figure out mine at the age of 8 years old. I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee with an artistic mother, so her outlook on the world influenced my perception of my surrounding environment. She taught me that being an artist is not a one-way street, but more so an ongoing series of successes and failures that inevitably shape us not only as artists but as human beings. Elementary school was the chapter in my life that contained no boundaries to express who I am. At this age, I realized I was more artistically inclined than my peers, so over time I increasingly became better at visually mimicking the life in front of me.
During this time, the bodies of work I created consisted of anime, illustrations, and celebrities. As I progressed on to high school, I became more aware of my identity as a Black girl in the South, so my artwork began to directly reflect this change. I started to incorporate darker skin tones and Afrocentric features into my work, and my artwork became rawer and more personal. I began to incorporate social issues in my work such as Police brutality, racial dysmorphia, etc. I also like to celebrate the grace, ambiguity, and beauty present in the Black community as well. My preferred medium is colored pencil, but I am experienced in numerous materials (acrylic, oil, charcoal, digital, etc.) As a multidisciplinary artist, I plan to expand my name as an artist by launching my art website next year, and in the future opening up an art gallery alongside my mother. My purpose as an artist is to inspire others to create whatever they desire, and to share a common ground with society.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Even though I’d say my artistic journey was smoother than others, it definitely has not been easy to get where I am now. It took years of persistence and practice to build technical skills. For about 3 years I could only draw one eye accurately while the second looked asymmetrical, and I still to this day struggle to draw anatomical features such as fingers and toes.
Also, it took patience to develop the cognition to translate concepts and ideas into one visual body of work. Beyond the work itself, the artistic industry is a beautiful yet vast environment. Because it is so big, it is pretty easy for artwork to be overshadowed in such a large crowd of talented artists.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Previously in my story as a young creative in the South, I mentioned the central focus of my work is Black art, but I create just about anything that interests me. I sometimes make pieces centered on feminism, self-esteem/mental health, and medical/anatomic studies, and I even draw caricature-styled faces for fun. Recently, I would say I’m most proud of the progression in my paintings since I identified as a strong illustrator for most of my life.
I grew this technical skill and critical knowledge about the art of painting this fall at Rhodes College, and I’ll continue painting classes in the spring. What would set me apart from others would be that I am a multidisciplinary artist and I have a range of knowledge with more than one medium. I can paint, draw (traditionally and digitally), animate, printmaking, etc. Hopefully, in the future, I’ll accumulate even more artistic experience.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Identifying as a multidisciplinary artist, involved taking risks along the way in order to gain expertise over a range of materials. The feeling of discomfort/fear when stepping out of your safe zone can be scary but doing so is vital to growth. It is important to keep in mind that your level of skill at square one won’t equate to your end destination.
As a perfectionist myself realizing this was a hard pill to swallow but having an idealist mindset can deter your potential in the end. Taking that risk and not being 100% sure of the outcome is an essential component of reaching maturation/adulthood.
Pricing:
- 24 X 18 Canvas Print – $250
- Digital Prints- $35
- Commissions- Prices vary
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chacassoo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082840055259
- Other: tiktok.com/@chacassooo
