BHM Art Spotlight: Antwanette Robinson

Antwanette Robinson has always loved art and creativity, with her most memorable gifts as a child being coloring books and art supplies. After sitting down with her children one night in 2020 and painting portraits with them, she fell even deeper in love with art. Starting with sketches and evolving into painting, Antwanette uses Arteza oil paint, acrylic paint, and craft paint in her vibrant portraits that portray the beauty of Black and Brown people. 

In this artist profile, we learn from Antwanette how she became the ‘self-learning’ artist that she is, the joy she finds in learning new techniques, and her inspiration as a mixed woman of color. 

I am a stay-at-home mom of five children turned self-taught (learning) artist. After a few weeks of studying artists with my children in the fall of 2020, my own art journey began. It felt like a precious gift given to me at a time when I truly needed it. My children were working on self-portraits, and one night my son Ziggy asked me to sit down and paint with them. That night I attempted to paint a picture of my daughter. Though I wouldn’t say it looked exactly like her, it sparked something in me. Every night for weeks, I’d attempt to sketch and paint a loved one or an interesting face I found online. Slowly I began experimenting with different mediums of paint. Acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and oil. Falling deeper and deeper in love with this new passion for painting. I am so thankful for the night my children invited me to sit down and create with them.

I have always been a lover of crafts and creative projects. Coloring books and art supplies were my favorite gifts as a child. Though artistic, I would never have imagined taking on the title “artist.” As I began sharing my own art and not only the kids’ art projects on Instagram, I was so encouraged and continue to be by the support and love from friends and family regarding my paintings. I use the term self-taught but definitely prefer the term “self-learning” as I learn something new every time I sit down to paint. That’s the beauty in it for me. Not only sharing what I create but also the joy of learning and trying new things, new ideas, and new techniques.

My art is a reflection of my love for colorful textiles and prints. I am inspired by indigenous and traditional clothing of many cultures. As a mixed Black and Mexican woman, I like to represent the beauty of Black and Brown people in my paintings while also weaving in a few things that represent my own personal story of growing up as a mixed woman of color. Arteza is our family’s favorite brand for art and schooling supplies. I am so grateful for the crazy wide range of Arteza supplies that I have been able to try in my journey so far. The products have made it so easy for a new artist to experiment and learn.

To see more of Antwanette’s work, visit her Instagram: @byantwanette