Robin Paris

Just as I was starting to feel a little burned out from my travels, I arrived at the studio of renowned batik artist Robin Paris and was inspired.  My year abroad is nothing compared to her FIVE years of traveling in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It was during her trip to Malaysia in 1990 that she first learned the batik technique and has been hooked ever since. These first batiks often reflected the country and this painting of Malaysian kites even made it onto one of their magazines! 

Robin's environmentally charged batiks are not only beautiful but serve an important function as well. They deliver a powerful message about the fragility of our ecosystem and the need to save our planet before it is too late.

As a statement of sustainability, Robin has dedicated her artwork to causing as little damage as possible. This means using materials and methods that are natural and healthy for the earth.

Robin has put me in touch with the raw materials of batik - where they come from and how they can be produced. It has been a wonderful week and a half learning about everything from  keeping bees for wax, to using organic cotton as base, to dying with natural plants for color. I will never again produce a batik piece without concern for the implications of my work on the environment and also a prayer of gratitude for the materials I am using.