Janaya Robinson - Artist

I've always been creative ever since I was a child. It's always been an outlet for me, to express myself and a way to spend my time. whether I was painting, shell collecting or drawing I could always find a way to put my imagination to use. I never realized how art was such a huge part of me until I became a mother and had a creative block for years. I lost that urge and passion to create for myself. It wasn't until this last year I was awakened after going through post partum depression, my sons illness with Hydrocephalus & getting myself sober that I found the desire to create again and get back into the studio. 

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7 Years ago my husband and I bought our first home in farm country. We have a little white house with a big garden in the backyard, backing farm fields and an old workshop we converted into the studio. We drywalled and painted, added little chandelier light fixtures, laid new flooring and put in a big glass french door to let in the natural light. It was a space for inspiration and to create. 

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A year later we had our first child. Fast forward to 3 kids, 1 dog, cat, bunny and 10 chickens later I found myself exhausted. I didn't realize once I was in it that I had post partum depression after the birth of our son. Everything felt dark and stale. I was unmotivated and felt so lonely even though I was never alone. I was so tired all the time yet had a hard ime sleeping. Everything was a blurr. I had no desire to do anything other than just make it through the day. A few months later we noticed changes in our son. He was physically getting slower and weaker, his head began growing rapidly out of proportion, and he was unable to move the left side of his body and could only sleep an hour or two at a time. We took him into the emergency where we got transferred to the Childrens Hospital in Vancouver and he under went an ETV (Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy). After his surgery it was a long road of physio/occupational therapies, hospital visits and doctor appointments. The future became so unknown. We didn't know if our son would be able to gain use in his hand & arm or if he would even be able to ever walk. I was so full of fear and anxiety for my sons recovery that I turned to alcohol to cope. It was a way for me to numb my mind. After a lot of hard work, time and my sons strength and determination he is walking, talking and his surgery was a success. Still a long road ahead but he's doing so great, we couldn't be more proud of our little warrior. I then had my own recovery to work on. I knew I needed to make a change. I had so much to work through. I wanted to be fully present in my life. I wanted to have energy again, feel a sense of purpose and passion. Thats when I got myself back out into the studio, putting all my struggles, all my emotions onto the canvas and the strength I felt from holding my paintbrush and created something beautiful was so freeing. It became my safe place, my healing place.

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I began painting in the evenings after the kids ate their suppers and got ready for bed. I walk outside through the backyard, breathing the fresh air and into the studio with a tea in hand. I filled the room with dry, hung flowers, plants and piles of vintage books filled with pressed flower pedals. The natural light illuminating my easel and a fresh canvas waiting for me to create. Beside my easel I have my artcart filled with supplies like paints, brushes, water jars and towels. The studio is all white with paintings hung on the walls above my old Victorian, vintage couch where I sit to do my thinking. I have a desk in the corner with my little tabletop easle when I work on my smaller paintings or where I do my flower pressing. In the other corner of the room is where I keep supplies in an old baby dresser I now use to hold my large paints, drawing papers and old polaroid films. The floor is layered with random carpets and rugs to feel comfort while freely walking around barefoot. I have plants near all the windows and hanging around the studio as nature is my main inspiration for my paintings. If i'm feeling stuck I just take a little break and walk outside into the backyard to feel the fresh air and take in the view of the mountains. Then i'm refreshed and ready to finish my work in the studio. 

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