Hello, my name is Ronni Robinson. I am the artist behind Ron Nicole. I create unique botanical sculptures, herbariums, and stationary. I work out of my tiny apartment here in Philadelphia which I share with my husband, as well as our crazy cat and dog. Our living room doubles as my art studio.
Last year I became aware of a technique called Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement). Inspired by botanicals and their delicate nature, I began to study everything about them, the way they hang, their texture and their fine details. I’ve always been drawn to nature so it’s no surprise that all of my art is centered around flowers.
When first coming up with this idea, I knew that I wanted to name each collection after a woman who inspired and pushed me to get here. It was my small way of saying thank you. I named my first collection Dorothy after my mother-in-law. At the time she was battling cancer but somehow always found the energy to offer words of encouragement and even helped get me art supplies.
I just recently finished my new collection called Raychelle. This series is named after my sister, who has always been a driving force in my creative thinking.
Whether I’m working on my own collection or preserving a bridal bouquet, I think about how I want the flowers to be arranged together. Just like a florist, a lot of thought goes into the design of the finished piece. I think about each flower and the imprint they will leave in the clay. Each flower placement is purposeful. I start by rolling the clay out until it is smooth and even. Then I press the arranged flowers into the clay, creating a deep impression. Then the flower has to be removed (often with tweezers) before pouring a blend of plaster and cement into the mold. After that, I wait…
I’m obsessed with flower preservation, so making art from my dried flower collection was a must do. They are not traditional herbariums. The white space around them creates a simplicity that’s easy on the eyes. Just like my botanical sculptures, I wanted to create something that would reflect my personal style. I want my art to embody the perfect balance of understated beauty and simplicity of design. My work speaks in soft tones. It doesn’t overwhelm or demand a room full of attention, instead it is humble enough to exist in the background.
This is my first year at the Art Star Craft Bazaar and I’m beyond excited. You’ll find me at booth #113. I hope you’ll stop by and say hello.
www.ronnicole.com
Instagram: @iamRonNicole
Hello my name is Rosa, I am an Architect, Artist and Metalsmith specializing on colorful 3D wearable art. I use all kind of materials such as metals, wood and resin to bring my designs to life. My husband Ruben joined me a couple years ago, after realizing I needed some help with all the work a small business requires; he became my sales and marketing guru. His background in Chemical engineering has been an asset as I develop new concepts and play with different materials. Together we are
I grew up in Mexico in a beautiful city set on a valley surrounded by mountains that are so close you feel like you could reach out and touch them. My work is largely inspired by the mountains, recreating little landscapes with natural wood and encasing them in resin.
The resin and wood pendants that I make start their life as reclaimed wood that has been treated with resin in order to protect it from moisture, and then colored resin fills out all the beautiful peaks and valleys of the natural shape of the wood. I cut the wood/resin combo in smaller pieces with a saw and then decide how to showcase the uniqueness of each. Using a table sander, I shape each individual piece and then carefully sand them with 6 different grits of sand paper in order to achieve transparency and smoothness. The final steps are polishing and drilling in order to hang each piece from a chain that complements the color of the wood and resin.
