Meet the artist - Robin Borland

Name: Robin Borland

Birthplace: Born and raised in Clearwater, Florida

Favorite medium: Oils

Before we’re done here, there’s going to be the artist’s reference – and a good one – to dogs eating ice cream. In all my travels, I’ve never encountered that phrase, much less the experience – so I thought some dramatic foreshadowing might be in order.

Starting with our most-youthful social interaction, from what many remember as the backbone of getting in trouble Palm Harbor Art Club Robin Borland discovered her life calling.

"In preschool, I loved to doodle and draw," Borland shared, clearly the benefactor of an understanding teacher. "I did it all of the time; anytime I could find time to sit and create I would."

Since then, she’s come across her share of well-known inspirations, including Matisse, but her greatest force-multiplier mentor is decidedly a hometown affair.

"My studio mate in Dunedin, Mary Bowler, had the most influence on me," Borland admitted. "Expressive yet simple style with bold color. I would say she really helped to mold my style."

Even though she passed away about 8 years ago, Borland shared she still looks at her work and hopes she can be that free and bold in the creative process.

"I strive for that," she said.

From that relationship comes a never-ending appreciation of the craft.

"I love to paint for others and I find myself smiling a lot when I am painting," Borland said. "I also like the way that the creative process carries over into creative problem solving in my business as well as in different life situations." And those smiles she hasn’t been keeping to herself.

"I’ve been working with Neighborly Care Network teaching art to their adult day care clients," she shared. "I am inspired by these individuals with varying degrees of dementia; they’re a great group to work with."

She can be reached at either artrobstudios.com, redbubble.com or if you find yourself in downtown Palm Harbor go to Ritter's where you can see her paintings of – you guessed it - dog's eating ice cream. "Fun stuff," Borland concluded, though journalistic integrity precludes me from the two exclamation points she for emphasis.