ROBBIEAUSTINstudio
Robbie Austin pulls curiosities through his SoCal education and plants them in a southern mystique. Trained as a sculptor, categorized a painter, more interested in drawing, Robbie creates lines for/of/with his devoted interest in new wave music and mystical spirituality.
Robbie’s got a knack for mapping and takes pleasure in routines. He lives in a 100+ year old house with his wife, their three teenagers, and dog.
Since the summer of 2020 when The Psychedelic Furs released their first album in 29 years, I have explored color, line, form, and pattern on used field book paper. I began working with field books after a hurricane blew my tree and treehouse onto a neighbor’s property, exposing a trove of material. She had boxes and boxes of these old books. I was enchanted. The paper is stormproof. It’s infused with resin and has an inherent object-ness. The original code-like markings make for dynamic and romantic springboards of compositional play. These papers range from the 1890’s through to the 1980’s. I react to them. My son tells me these works are treasure maps. I say treasure chests.
Because the field book paper is resistant to moisture and decay, it need not, for the sake of conservation, be framed behind glass. The hand-crafted open-faced frames underline, enhance, and maintain the objectivity of each piece and provide a convenient platform for display. All have a thin cleat for installation. Due to the resin, the paper maintains its shape indefinitely.
