Akin Vitrine Q&A Series: Tiana Robinson installation 'A Simpler Time'
A Simpler Time, an exhibition by Tiana Robinson
Sep 22 until Oct 22, 2023
The Akin Vitrine Gallery, 1747 St Clair Ave W
A closeup of the paintings in Tiana Robinson’s exhibition, A Simpler Time, against the white walls of the vitrine gallery. Amidst poems, the vibrant, colourful paintings on paper are detailed renderings of flowers and a young girl blowing a dandelion.
Tiana Robinson is a Canadian artist, born in May Pen Jamaica, Her journey as an artist began at an early age, as she was always doodling in class, or at home. In middle school, she was nominated to participate in the Leaf Dreams scholarship program which gave her the opportunity to freely enroll in art classes at the Art Gallery of Ontario where she was constantly being exposed to instructors who were working artists themselves.
Tiana attended C.W. Jeffery’s Collegiate Institute special art program, and it was here that she was introduced to the Modern Batik Art Technique during a workshop. Batik Art involves the application of simple ink outlines, light-to-dark gradation of dyes, and using wax as a resist for separating colours. Tiana was a quick study and gained rapid recognition for her work, including her best-known image, “The Nation of Mothers”, which was purchased by the City of Toronto and now hangs in the Mayor’s office. Tiana graduated with a Bachelor of Design from the York-Sheridan Design Program and is currently working as a Graphic Designer while still exploring her love of art.
Tell us about your exhibition
A Simpler Time was created using watercolour & gouache paint. This work was based on a poem I wrote called A Simpler Time. It shows a moment we have all experienced in our childhood of blowing a dandelion and watching the seeds scatter. It’s about returning to a time in our lives when we were free to have fun and just follow what felt right, what felt fun, and what made us happy. Summer days are filled with possibility and lots of sneezes.
What are you curious about right now? What do you do to stimulate curiosity and inspiration?
What I am curious about right now is just exploring new media. I am trying to get reacquainted with my art process, and just let loose and explore what can come out of no expectations. I am working on being a bit more free with my expression and trying to find an authentic voice that is more representative of the woman I am now.
Tiana Robinson, wearing blue jeans and a grey t-shirt, is pictured inside the vitrine gallery installing her exhibition, A Simpler Time, hanging bright, colourful paintings done on paper onto clear string.
What was your first medium and what's your favourite tool/material right now?
That was crayons, most definitely. Currently, I do mostly digital illustration and modern batik art with wax and dyes on fabric. I like the versatility of digital illustrations and the unique patterns created from the modern batik technique. Recently, I have been revisiting watercolours and gouache mediums and have been enjoying the learning curve of remembering how to work with the medium.
Do you have a studio routine ie: Are you a daily ritual person or are you project-focused in spurts?
My daily ritual when arriving at the studio is to first put some sage into my little humidifier to set the mood, and set up any tools I need that day. I ask a quick question of where I should start today and flow with whatever my intuition tells me to go.
Do you have creative prompts or habits to help you get started? Any self-care tips to share?
I look at images to gain some inspiration and when I feel that tingle of excitement I follow that thread to the next step. Sometimes I am guided by meditations or poems I have written before and recently I love to turn those poems or messages into a motivational video and utilise music and video to create inspiration for myself and others. I recommend this video to get you fired up.
Artist Tiana Robinson in her Akin Studio
Is there an artist you'd like to go back in time to meet? Or someone you'd love to invite to dinner right now? Who is it and what would you ask them about?
I would love to go back and revisit the younger version of me before I stopped doing art and tell her that only when you are creating can you be fully you, fully grounded, fully really free. I realized after starting this journey again that It’s not losing my identity as an artist that made me fall apart. It was that I lost that ritual that allowed me to discard all the pieces of me that didn’t belong to me. All the external burdens and responsibilities that were not mine to begin with. I was no longer able to shed away that skin imposed on me by external circumstances, and sadly other people’s projections, demands, and responsibilities imposed on me slowly became my identity. I became empty while others became fuller, and paradoxically my spirit became heavier while others became lighter.
What are some of the benefits of being in the studio for you? What brought you to Akin?
In 2020 I became paralyzed after getting sick with COVID, and spent the better part of 2021- 2022 just getting well again. I struggled a lot with my mental health, depression, and anxiety, and can say since getting and coming to the studio I am no longer depressed, my anxiety has reduced significantly and I am a lot happier and more peaceful than a year ago. More confident, even though I don’t know where I am going I just know I will be damned if I am going to stop this again. My new mantra for life now is “protect my peace”.
What are you NOT very good at? What do you WANT to be good at?
I am not very good at asking for help, and at showing my work. I want to be better at showing every facet of me and just being present and stop overthinking life.
A view of the finished install of Tiana Robinson’s exhibition, A Simpler Time. The paintings and poems are hung on clear string fastened vertically from top to bottom of the white vitrine gallery. The paintings are colourful, intricate images of flowers. On the white floor of the vitrine are paint brushes and small palettes, and a small sign that reads the “A Simpler Time, Tiana Robinson”
