My name is Robin Wieskus and I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’ve been drawing and creating in a variety of mediums for as long as I can remember. When I was young I actually went through a phase of wanting to be a fashion designer and I still have several of my old sketchbooks that are filled with page after page of my dress “designs”. Needless to say, looking through those sketchbooks today results in a good laugh, and I’m happy to report that my taste (and skill level) has evolved beyond those drawings! But I do admire the effort and dedication of my 10-year-old self, if not my actual dress designs!

I’m largely self-taught and I enjoy working in watercolor, oil, and acrylics. Over the past few years my focus has primarily been watercolor illustrations and I sell prints of my paintings in my East Ashley Studio shop (http://www.eastashleystudio.etsy.com). I have a bit of a restless creative spirit and I love to teach myself new things. Every few months I find myself looking around for something new to learn. Drawing and painting will always be my first love and my primary creative outlet, but I’ve also been busy teaching myself to sew (maybe fashion design is in my future after all!) and my most recently discovered passion is photography. I still have so much to learn, and I find that to be both daunting and exciting – I love a challenge.

When I think of Sunday Brunch I think of gathering together with friends or family to enjoy good conversation and a stack of warm pancakes. Sunday Brunch means enjoying my favorite meal of the day with my favorite people.

My favorite designer is Catherine Malandrino. Her dresses are often my favorite looks on the red carpet, and I love the style and femininity of her designs. Unfortunately I am still searching for my favorite dress! I’m quite tall so finding the perfect fit can be a bit tricky, but I’m determined to keep trying to find it.

My watercolor illustrations are primarily influenced by my love (or is it obsession?) with all things vintage. I love exploring flea markets and antique shops and my vintage finds frequently serve as the inspiration and subject matter for my watercolor illustrations. I particularly love vintage cameras, sewing notions, and antique kitchen items. I’m also inspired by architecture and fashion and plan to start incorporating more of those elements into my work soon.

You can visit my shop here: http://www.eastashleystudio.etsy.com