Robbie Kaye Interview

Meet the Artist

A Conversation with Robbie Kaye.

Thoughts on art, nature, and philosophy.

Robbie Kay: Artist, photographer and musician.

TPS: What inspires you as an artist?

RK: Nature and all the emotions of life inspire me as well as the intake of my surroundings, the sky, trees and just everyday connection with it and people. Somedays joy inspires me and others, sadness or frustration. I transitioned to photography and fine art through music, using different tools for composition. Whether I am writing songs or creating fine art, it is all a form of journaling about my life and where I am at a given point.

TPS: How does spirituality inform (inspire)your work? what is your spiritual practice?

RK: My spiritual practice begins as soon as I wake up. I light a candle and incense, do a tapping exercise, read, pray and then listen… to the birds, the roosters, while the thoughts in my mind scatter. Part of this practice is reading my daily messages from Peacock Solution. In this contemplative state, ideas come and tasks for the day form in my mind, which is why I keep a pad and pen close by. I jot them down as soon as they come so they don’t clog up ‘the path’….

TPS: What is your spiritual process for beginning your work?

RK: First, I clean my space… making room for whatever it is I am about to create. My morning ritual has already cleared the path for these next steps so, on a good day, I just step into my creative space (my studio) and let the ‘muse’ carry me where it wants to go.

“Just Around the Corner” - 30” x 40”

“Yellow Bird” 36” x 48”

In a way, I am in constant contact with it… listening to it… when it tells me to take a risk, change direction or even start over. I light incense in my studio and most times I am listening to an inspirational audiobook. Other times, I listen to music… all types. My favorites are classical, jazz, Latin, and anything from the ’70s. It all depends on the mood I’m in.

TPS: Do you think about what you want to create first? Your Thoughts?

RK: I often think about what I want to create and seldom, do I create it. I lay in bed at night sometimes, seeing the piece, the colors, and even the textures… and rarely does it transfer to the piece I wind up working on… though I do believe in some underlying way, the premise of that vision is present. Sometimes, at night or early in the morning, an image will form in my mind, and I will draw it on a piece of paper or on my phone so I don’t forget it. Lately, because I have been painting a study of trees, I can think about the form, shadows, etc., and how to create that, but it’s more of an exploration and experiment. I think about colors…sometimes for weeks before I put them on canvas. I picture the piece in my mind… trying out colors… thinking about techniques to create a certain texture and the tools I might need. It’s more like I am thinking about the feeling or the invitation I want to create, rather than the image.

TPS: How has your creative process changed after experiencing 2020 and the pandemic?

RK: My creative process has changed greatly during the pandemic. I had the time to really get to know myself as an artist. Because of this time, I could give myself permission to explore…

Since I wasn’t any longer represented by a physical gallery, my focus was not on creating new work for a new exhibit coming up on a monthly basis. I had the luxury of experimenting and learning from my mistakes, without the pressure of producing. It was an extremely intimate time and still is…because I have learned to take my time and be patient and listen as I go… allowing myself (and the goddess of the muse) to guide me. Also, I have an incredible friend who is spiritually in tune with me and my work and knows just when and what to send me in terms of a visual or idea.

From there, all kinds of ideas explode and I am on a creative adventure, one that makes me excited to get into the studio from the time I wake up.

“Winter Waltz” 28” x 45”

“Turning Point” 24” x 36”

TPS: What are your insights about creativity as a spiritual practice?

RK: I truly believe that my creativity IS my spiritual practice. I learned at a very early age, that this connection to music and later, photography and art was a refuge for me, a very sacred sanctuary where I could go and express how I felt, safely.

In fact, that is still the case to this day. My creative practice is virtually my journal of thoughts and emotions, my reactions to living with all its ups and downs. My pain, my joy, and everything in between. This is how I communicate. Because I feel like the creative process is being steered by some other entity, it feels extremely spiritual and derived from ‘other’ energy.

I am so grateful to have this connection… I believe, it is an outlet that offers me internal peace, a place to process life and my feelings, and sometimes direction. It’s not always so peaceful.

Just like life itself, it is frustrating sometimes, and there are hurdles to overcome…but that is the joy of it. If I keep going and listen and allow, eventually I will find my way to the a new paradigm, usually by chance and moreover by tenacity and the willingness to learn and grow.