Robin Roberts, photographic artist, is a contented man who can’t contain how much he loves Tasmania. It’s evident on his beaming face as we engage in this interview.
Robin wasn’t born in Tasmania or even Australia but found his way here from the UK via New Zealand and then Brisbane.
Robin was born in Surrey and his grandparents were once residents of
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the town in Wales that is famous for being the place with the longest name in the UK. Tourists to the village are keen to have their photos taken near the sign of the village name, so it seems that photography would be an appropriate career for one of the village’s descendants.
Robin is able to pronounce the village name with ease as he speaks some Welsh and was in fact brushing up on the language in adult ed classes here in Hobart, taught by a vicar’s wife. Which might sound very English village but Rob is very much a proud Tasmanian.
So how did this friendly Englishman find himself living in Tassie? His grandparents had been world travellers in the 1900s and later moving back to settle on a farm in Northampton , England. Robs aunt told him of his grandparents travels to Brisbane. Rob remembers the mysterious cutlery his grandfather had with Brisbane insignia on it.
‘My Welsh grandfather had travelled the world quite extensively in the early 1900’s – how and why I have no idea .’ But it seems he had been to Brisbane all those years ago although I had no idea when I decided to go to Brissy.
Rob’s dad was a butcher and the family had many holidays on farms around Wales and England, so it was a natural progression that Rob would go on to work on dairy farms, through an English New Zealand scheme – which was similar to the ‘10 pound pom’ immigration scheme in Australia, although the price was increased to 25 pounds for new Zealand. After a time working on farms Rob went on to study dairy technology and manufacturing. He took leave for 2 years to go on a working holiday including visiting family in the UK. But it was very cold and he pined to return to the warmth of Australia and more precisely Brisbane because it was warmer than Melbourne and Sydney and he remained there until 2006.
In Brisbane he took a job with the department of primary industries in Queensland in the dairy and food research area. The jobs he did were both various and interesting like checking the deterioration of fish and there was also a test for diagnosing cows for the rapid diagnosis of mastisis in cows.
In a strange irony one really hot summer Rob and a friend opted for a cool change and a break in Tasmania.
‘Robin thinks moving to Tasmania was the second best thing he has ever done in his life – the BEST thing he ever did was to immigrate to Australia.’
In Tasmania he managed to combine both science and art in studying photography. This has been a great success for Rob whose work has already featured in a number of exhibitions. Rob is also a keen potter with successful pottery exhibitions. Pottery was an interest he picked up in an adult ed class in New Zealand in the seventies and Robin is now is a member of the Tasmanian ceramics association.
Apart from his artistic pursuits and of seeing as much of Tasmania as he can, all the while cataloguing it with his camera, Rob has also found time to work as a volunteer English tutor at The Polytechnic giving migrants and refugees help in mastering English and settling in to their new home.
The Burnie Coastal Art Group was the site last March of Rob’s joint exhibition with 10 potters called ‘Fired Up’. Rob was also part of a joint exhibition at Sidespace in Salamanca and exhibited at The School House Gallery at Rosny.
Last March Rob’s work in ceramics featured in a joint exhibition of 10 potters called ‘Fired Up’ which exhibited at the Burnie Coastal Art Group. Rob was also part of joint exhibitions at Sidespace in Salamanca, as well as exhibition at The School House gallery at Rosny.
Another burgeoning area that Rob is working on that brings together both creating a ceramic and photography, is photographing ceramic pieces for already established and emerging artists.
‘In The Detail’ is the name of a joint ceramics/paintings and photo exhibition with Bronwyn Theobald and jill Rich that Rob will take part in at the end of May.
Ever creatively busy, Rob joined ‘ Quoll artists’ gallery’ at Salamanca a small art co-op. The organization features six artists from a variety of mediums, felt maker, painters and a jeweller. Rob is the photographer and he also hopes to do some work in ceramics.
Rob will also take part in the annual Howrah art show at The School House Gallery with his pictures and pots, both for sale with some proceeds going to rotary, The show is on this year between Feb 8 – 28.
Paula Xiberras
