artwork & jewelry by Erin Robert
My work deals with nostalgia and imagery from the past, particularly the decades of the 30s, 40s and 50s. I am interested in historical shifts in societal attitudes and behaviors due to external influences, such as advances in technology, and how that in turn influences the direction of marketing and logos. Often switching back and forth between painting and collage or some combination of the two, the theme remains consistent: bringing new life to that which has been forgotten or discarded. I use a variety of media to communicate my desire to celebrate commonplace items that have lost their meaning or purpose. In my collages, for example, you might find used tea bags, old graphic design logo transfers, wax paper or string. And my paintings strive to reveal the beauty of long-forgotten signage and old logos.
My interest in design is most evident in my jewelry. Working in polymer clay, I choose to approach the media in a very straightforward way - working almost strictly with the clay directly from the package and occasionally custom mixing colors, I create simple pieces that allow the color and shape to stand on their own. The jewelry designs are inspired by the doodles that adorn my various sketchbooks and in keeping with my interest of things of the past, each design has been given a
name popular in the 30s and 40s, such as Audrey, Penelope and Dottie.
My interest in design is most evident in my jewelry. Working in polymer clay, I choose to approach the media in a very straightforward way - working almost strictly with the clay directly from the package and occasionally custom mixing colors, I create simple pieces that allow the color and shape to stand on their own. The jewelry designs are inspired by the doodles that adorn my various sketchbooks and in keeping with my interest of things of the past, each design has been given a
name popular in the 30s and 40s, such as Audrey, Penelope and Dottie.