Elemental Journeys

North Carolina artist Robyn Crawford wants those attending her latest exhibition, “Elemental Journeys: A Mixed Media Collection of Energy, Light, Crystals and Color,” to “feel the energy of each piece and travel through the elements of the Earth, starting with water and air and transitioning to fire and earth.” The exhibition will be in the…

North Carolina artist Robyn Crawford wants those attending her latest exhibition, “Elemental Journeys: A Mixed Media Collection of Energy, Light, Crystals and Color,” to “feel the energy of each piece and travel through the elements of the Earth, starting with water and air and transitioning to fire and earth.”

The exhibition will be in the Gallery II of the Artists Collective | Spartanburg March 8 through April 2.

“We are all connected to everyone and everything,” says Crawford, who lives in Hendersonville with her two children. “I have always been inspired by nature, life cycles, patterns, color and music. It occurred to me that I was actually using all the elements in the creation of these works and began to intentionally work though having all the elements represented.”

Crawford says “Elemental Journeys” is an interpretation of Earth’s elements and the flow of energy. “Using bright, bold colors with upbeat music as a backdrop, the paint is allowed to dance through planned rhythmic patterns and random surprises,” she explains. “It is a collaboration between energy, spirit and the vibration of light and color. All the elements are used to bring these pieces to life.

“Water – the thinning of paints and liquids to different consistencies and weights helps control the way things flow, combine and connect,” she continues. “Air – breath, straws and a blow dryer create the shift of where and how the fluid colors will flow while still controlling composition. Earth – mixing in various pigments, metallic pulvers, mica flakes and actual crystals help achieve the reflection of light and sparkle. Fire – torching the surface of each piece with a flame releases air bubbles. This gives each work a smooth surface as well as allowing some less dense pigments to rise to the top layer and ‘pop’ into wonderful bursts of color.”

The exhibition is a body of work that is “bright, light, colorful and full of spirit,” Crawford says. “There are playful patterns and tiny details as a result of the process used. Getting up close and viewing these microcosms is mesmerizing. I would like it to instill a sense of connection. A connection to the earth, a connection to spirit and a connection to each other.” She began creating the works while in quarantine during the spring of 2020 and continued through the present.

The 20 pieces in the exhibition will be offered for sale, with prices ranging from $140 to $1,200.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in addition to being a mixed media artist, Crawford is a photographer, a teacher and a creativity coach. She attended Rochester Institute of Technology for photography/film/animation. She has gone down many other paths, such as ceramics, silversmithing, hot glass, printing, mosaic and other media. Her work has been exhibited across the Carolinas. She loves working with new materials and finds that it generates new ideas and opens doors to endless possibilities.