I am so excited about this coming season. Fall! It’s finally here and I am busy making inventory as fast as I can. I spent the summer building stock and all of that went into galleries: Tucson Botanical Gardens Gift Shop, Tucson Museum of Art Gift Shop and Mas Y Mas. (More about the galleries later), I am producing more art pieces and my creativity is exploding. I have been planning my booth design, making mental notes of the items I will need to maximize the space. I look forward to being in the atmosphere of artists ready to put a smile on their faces and sell. To an artist, a sale is a validation…
Author: robinchladdesigns
I have been doodling, coloring, drawing, cutting, sculpting, painting, sewing, writing and everything in between since I could hold a crayon in my hand.
My first art projects were filling up a big, fat coloring book of bridal dresses. I boldly ventured into new territory with paint-by-number sets. I graduated to luxurious and decadent velvet (paint-by-number) sets. Eventually, I mastered the art of Spirogragh.
Originally from upstate New York I have lived in Tucson, Arizona since 1986. Back then I was a single mom and found myself in the job market. I went to Pima Community College for training. Instead of diving into my academics I kept hanging around the pottery studio. Some people lived there and if I didn’t have two little girls at home I would have ended up living there as well. Joking aside, I fell in love with clay and all its possibilities. Being in a position to care for my kids, in 1989 I created a very marketable, creative, and functional item. It was a simple concept that took me into new heights of the craft world and I became an entrepreneur. Creating and selling became my passion. I had achieved success for many years. I loved being my own boss and living the artist’s dream. Life moved real fast and before I knew it my girls were all grown up, moving out, getting married and having kids of there own. Hey, wait a minute… I am a Gramma at 40? No sweat, I handled it gracefully.
Fast forward to the present: I have been on a journey led by God.
I took a sabbatical for the last 6 years learning new people skills in real estate, retail and care giving to the elderly. But my natural instincts kept leading me back to what my soul cannot deny. New visions, new risks, and a stronger faith has lead me to this point. Have I arrived? It’s like my life is all mapped out and a red arrow points to You Are Here! But the road keeps going and I have learned to listen to that still small voice. My days are filled with a little bit of art, a little bit of caring for my grandchildren, care giving to the elderly and volunteering at Sunday school.
I am currently working on sculpting with clay in a tile mosaic setting, like my Seed Pod series or House of Fruit Trios. Some of my pieces are a mixture of individual 3-D tiles, shadow box shrines, and ornaments. The work that’s being created is inspirational, whimsical, and contemporary. Even though life can be very serious and intense I hope to achieve simply bringing joy or even a smile to someone’s face though my creations.
I am also designing and developing my%2
About
About. Robin Chlad (pronounced sha-lad) has been an artist all her life with a focus on ceramics in all forms. Originally from upstate New York she has lived in Tucson since 1986, attended Pima Community College in 1987 and started her ceramic design business in 1989 called, Art & Clay Designs. She started out in the wholesale sector with a product that catapulted her into the artist’s lifestyle. As she developed a flair for marketable clay products she began to fill custom orders for mosaics and sculpted pieces. Much of her work is referred to as contemporary folk art with a…
A Summer Recap
While I am looking forward to the changing season I am reflecting on all that I have accomplished for the past three months. My normal summers are fairly relaxed but because I am working towards building up my inventory while supporting myself by teaching pottery classes this summer has whizzed by. I have really enjoyed teaching. It’s been 20 years since I taught and I hadn’t thrown any pots since 2001. Well it’s like an old hat. Like riding a bike. And I didn’t realize how much I missed it. Years ago I designed much of my wares on the wheel but I…
Cooler Weather on the Horizona
Yes it is still hot in Arizona. But it should be cooling down by the end of the month. It’s been a fairly moist monsoon season and that makes it bareable to live in Tucson in the summer. So I am gearing up for more outdoor living. And expect others are too. We are already thinking about what we are planning to plant in our fall and winter gardens, which cool weather flowers to replace the sun scorched ones on the patio and what else can be done to beautify the outdoors backyard. We Tucsonians like to make it fun and…
Hello September
This piece titled “Be Fruitful” is my motto in the coming year! I am all about creating beauty, tapping into my resouces and making it happen in all avenues of my life. Hey, it’s a real struggle during these uncertain times but I encourage friends, family and people though out my day to do the same. I like seeing others succeed. It’s inspiring to hear stories of young and old overcome the struggles in their lives and how they rise above. That is the American way! I am so thankful to God that I am able to do do what I love every…
Fruit Wall Sculpture with Drawer Pulls
Be Fruitful!
Robin Chlad Designs 