Congratulations to artist Robert Calloway - our latest ArtResin Winner and a loyal customer since 2015! Robert, a mixed media artist from Austin, TX, incorporates a wide variety of mediums with ArtResin: "I'm an artist who makes cool abstract paintings and home decor. I love creating layered, vibrant, and tactile pieces. My inspiration comes from all sorts of sources, like geodes, the ocean, bonsai trees, and more!"
Does where you're from or where you currently live influence your work?
Indeed, residing in a region with an abundance of nature trails and various lakes such as Lake Travis, I frequently capture photographs of the surrounding flora and fauna. These images serve as inspiration for some of the color selections in my artistic creations.
What's your art background? Are you self-taught or did you study art?
I attended Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Georgia, where I earned a degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Interior Design. While I did take fundamental studio classes in painting and drawing, I’am primarily self-taught, incorporating ArtResin into my creative process.
Are you a full-time artist or do you create around work hours?
I’m a techie by day, but I’m also a big art enthusiast. I love attending art events, keeping my website up-to-date, and creating inventory for local gift shops and galleries. It’s a great way to balance my two passions!
What do you love about the mediums that you use in your work?
I enjoy creating with a diverse range of mediums, which allows individuals to engage with my artwork on a deeper level. My approach involves creating layers of poured ArtResin, usually a minimum of 3 to build depth and details. The use of modeling paste to build up structures and pierce through the resin layers creates a fun dimensional look. Additionally, I incorporate quartz crystals, as exemplified in my geode collection, to provide tactile experiences and evoke sensory responses from viewers. I firmly believe that my art should be more then just the visual appeal and I aim to engage the senses, which is why I encourage individuals to touch and interact with my creations.
How did you discover resin?
Ten years ago, I attended a local art exhibition where I encountered an artist from Los Angeles who created large-scale paintings using epoxy resin. The glossy finish of his abstract works captivated me, inspiring me to transition from traditional 2D acrylic paintings and seek a product that would enable me to produce entirely different types of art.
How has resin impacted your artwork?
ArtResin has provided me with the opportunity to continuously experiment and explore new techniques to enhance my painting style. This enables me to achieve a professional appearance for my work while ensuring its longevity for many years!
Can you provide a brief rundown of your process?
My artistic process is influenced by several factors, including the music playing in my studio, the weather and the color combinations I intend to utilize for my abstract pieces. For instance, I prioritize painting on marble tiles for my drink coasters and strive to achieve vibrant colors. Utilizing colors captured from photographs taken during my nature walks and random encounters around town serves as a valuable resource for pairing color combinations for future designs.
Why do you want to make art? What motivates you to create?
For me, creating art serves as an outlet for stress relief. It enables me to explore ideas and experiment with new techniques that enhance my design process. I absolutely love creating art that people enjoy and connect with. It’s so rewarding to see how my work can touch people’s emotions and create a sense of community.
Does art help you in other areas of your life?
Art is my therapy! It’s like a way for me to release all the stress from my fast paced life. Creating beautiful things with vibrant colors and depth is just so therapeutic!
What do you hope someone sees or feels when they look at your art?
I’m hoping someone can connect with my art and feel the passion I poured into it, through the colors and brushstrokes I used. The layering in my paintings creates new details every time it’s looked at, which in my opinion is exciting!
How do you define success as an artist? What does that look and feel like for you?
Success for me isn’t just about money. It’s about connecting with my audience and making them feel something when they touch and view my art. I’m so grateful that people have bought my unique pieces and that I have the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind commissions for those who want my style in their homes. It’s truly humbling.
What's your favorite resin tip you'd like to share with our readers?
If I had to pick one resin tip that I’m especially excited about, it’s using a heat gun or blowtorch to create all sorts of cool effects, not just to get rid of those pesky bubbles that can form after mixing resin. I like to mix white fluid acrylic paint with resin in a separate cup and pour it onto my ocean-themed paintings to make the appearance of sea foam. I gently use a heat gun or blowtorch to help spread the white-tinted pigment in the resin. This gives the resin a unique look, making it look like cells that resemble waves. I repeat the effect over multiple resin layers until I have the desired look I want.
Where do you sell your work?
