A lover of art and nature since birth, Opal Robinson’s art shows us the importance of knowing the true value of the outdoors.
Born in Portland to her mother, Abby Johnston, also an artist, Opal’s life has always been filled with art. Her mother had her while attending Maine College of Art, giving Opal a childhood filled with art and creativity. Raised by a community of artists, Opal developed a passion like her mother’s at a young age.
“I grew up in the art world. I spent a lot of time at galleries snacking on cheese and olives under the table,” Opal reminisces, “I would attribute my passion for art to that. Being in the art world and seeing different mediums, it was all integral to my upbringing.”
Opal’s work revolves around her love for nature, another thing she credits her mom for.
“My mom did a good job instilling respect for nature in me and teaching me the importance of taking care of the planet,” Opal says. As a child, Opal spent a lot of time outside with her mom. A few of her favorite places of inspiration include Mackworth Island, Cape Elizabeth, and Damariscotta Mills.
Like her mother, Opal also attended Maine College of Art. Her senior thesis, which she calls her “life project” was a wild foraging guide. Opal loves foraging and believes it “is a really good way to understand the world we live in and appreciate it and learn to coexist.”
Opal sees accessibility as a barrier to nature education. During COVID, foraging became among the newfound hobbies of people. Opal knew the stakes could be higher with foraging in comparison to other hobbies and created a simple guide so people could have a free resource to forage safely.
In a similar mindset to her foraging guide, Opal aims to create art that is easy for everyone to enjoy. She focuses on smaller items like prints, stickers and jewelry that can be purchased at a lower price and are easier to store in comparison to large paintings.
Inspired by the constant questions she would get about selling her work, Opal began her business when she was fifteen. She uses a unique creative process by creating a larger picture, and then breaking it down into separate elements to create individual items. A small mussel in the corner of a complex picture became the design for a pair of earrings. After sketching, Opal uses watercolor inks and 100% cotton paper to bring her designs to life.
Opal’s love for art is not just a career, but rather it is her identity. Opal uses art to interact with the world we live in and gain a deeper understanding of how we can protect it.
She believes that “We are students forever, we never stop learning. We all have a responsibility to take care of our planet.” Through art, Opal hopes to teach others about the beauty our planet holds and how we can protect it together.
