My father-in-law, Rob Robbins, passed away last month. He was a remarkable man and had many wonderful attributes. Perhaps his most notable characteristics, however, were his unwavering commitment to living life to the fullest and his adaptability that enabled him to do so.
Even as his physical abilities declined, Rob always managed to find a new hobby to pour himself into. I kidded him about his vast and multiple tool collections, but, in fact, I envied his passion—and that he always gave himself permission to follow it.
Rob’s never-give-up attitude was evident in both his athletic and artistic endeavors.
Athletically, he was always an outdoorsy guy, and he encouraged his kids to follow suit. Before my husband and his sister were in their teens, they had already spent many months camping in the Arizona and Alaska wilderness.
When Rob was in his 50’s, he was still an avid hiker, but he got interested in long-distance cycling and took that up as well. As he was training for a coast-to-coast ride, he suffered a major heart attack that the doctors said would have killed pretty much anyone else. Recognizing that his extreme cycling days were over, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he traded in his bike and purchased a motorcycle. He used it to tour much of North America, and, one year, he rode all the way from Labrador, Canada, to Key West, Florida!
A few years after that, he developed inner ear issues, which affected his balance, and he decided to trade his motorcycle for an easier-to-balance recumbent trike. He also took up sea kayaking—just to make sure he wouldn't get bored.
In his late 60’s, he developed cancer, and, when the doctors removed the diseased lymph node, they also had to remove a nerve, which affected his shoulder. He could no longer paddle a kayak for long distances, so—you guessed it—he took up something else: sailing.
I could go on, but I think you get the picture!
Rob was also an incredible artist. His primary medium was metal, but he was a skilled photographer, illustrator, and watercolorist as well. He was so gifted, in fact, that he earned an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art without ever getting his Bachelors! Although his artistic focus was influenced more by interest than need, it still speaks to Rob’s amazing ability to adapt to changing circumstances. If he grew tired of one medium, he didn’t stop creating; he just looked for inspiration in another.
At Purple Crayon, I have the privilege of playing with many artists who possess a similar determination. One of our members, for example, temporarily lost the use of her dominant hand due to a domestic violence incident. She could easily have given up her passion, painting (which, sadly, had been her abuser’s likely intent), but, instead, she taught herself how to work with her other hand.
Some of our older artists, moreover, suffer deteriorating sight, shaky hands, painful joints, and other impacts of age. Rather than confine themselves to passive activities, they simply learn new arts and crafts that accommodate their disabilities—or just accept less perfection. They understand that the act of creating is far more about the process than the product.
If you’re feeling less able to do whatever it is you used to do, creatively, I hope that, like Rob and the admirable women in PC’s community, you’ll look for something else that makes your heart sing. Your new tune may be a little off key, but you’ll still be making music!
Purple Crayon has several note-worthy (pun intended!) workshops coming up in the next few months. Although Barbara McGuire’s Polymer Clay Mokume Gane Pendant class on 10/10 is full, we’ve started a waitlist and may end up adding an additional session if there’s enough interest.
Fortunately, there are still seats available for Nicole Haning’s Dot Mandala Painting for Beginners workshop on 11/7 and Susan Goodman’s Zentangle® for Beginners workshop on 12/5. Seats are limited, however, so I would encourage you to register sooner rather than later if you’re interested in attending either of these popular online classes.
I look forward to creating with you!
—Pam Robbins, Owner
