MARSHA YI ROBINSON (STRANGE DIRT)

Spotlight

An online initiative featuring our favorite artists alongside a small collection of their works.
curated by and available through Skye Gallery.

THE Work of MARSHA YI ROBINSON (Strange dirt)

“At this moment in my career, I’m trying to challenge the tradition of botanical illustration. I want to create landscapes that highlight the potential and presence of a flower, and question what floral elements can offer a work of art” - MarSha Yi Robinson

MarSha Yi Robinson, *Heart Study #3* , 2024

Marsha Yi Robinson, *Heart Study #1*, 2024

SKYE GALLERY (SG): Can you tell us more about your new collection of works, Heart Study, and how it came to be?

MARSHA YI ROBINSON (MR): Heart Studies is a new collection of illustrative paintings by MarSha Yi Robinson that explores her creative and emotional responses to intimacy, love, and romantic relationships. Each artwork surveys the terrain of a discrete land that comprises a broader heartscape. The paintings’ monochromatic color fields evoke an emotional sensation, while the geometric shapes enclosing them act as vessels that both embrace and protect. Similarly, the floral elments are emblematic of a lover’s softness and vulnerability. Heart Studies, then, invites the viewer into a heartscape that rekindles memories of past love or amplifies the experience of love present.

SG: You work across various mediums. How do you decide which medium to use for a particular idea or project?

MR: My choice of mediums throughout the years has been rather consistent. I primarily use ink on cotton paper while also incorporating gold, silver, and copper leafing. In the last year or so, however, I’ve been experimenting with different mediums such as gouache and acrylic.

SG: Are there specific traditions or histories you aim to highlight through your art?

MR: I don’t use symbols, per se, in my work. My work primarily focuses on geometric shapes, heavy line work, and angles. I use these “hard” elements in conjunction with the softness of the floral details. This creates, to my mind, a balance between the masculine and the feminine.

SG: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your artistic career, and how have you overcome them?

MR: I would say the most challenging aspect of my artistic career is staying consistent with my practice. I'd like to be more prolific with the amount of original works I can produce. My time management is very loose and sometimes very unstructured. I do find that having a deadline helps though it does create a pressure that's uncomfortable for me to work through. I can hardly say I've overcome this challenge. It's something that I'm constantly working on.

SG: Are there any upcoming projects or themes you're particularly excited about exploring? What can we look forward to in your future work?

MR: At the moment, I don’t have any big projects on the horizon. But I’m excited about experimenting with new ideas and concepts in the studio. I always push myself to keep things interesting. I don’t like getting too comfortable or complacent with my work. Currently, I’ve been playing with minimalism, bold colors, new shapes, and the use of negative space.