Tricia Robinson is a self-taught artist who has found her style and voice through the joy and warmth of bright color and bold composition. I want people to see my paintings and be inspired to view life with a little more freedom and beauty. Her ongoing theme is to have a "sensus lusus", meaning playful spirit. It makes the day so much bigger and brighter when we have a spirit of play. She loves traveling with her husband and is inspired by English gardens, the meadows of Switzerland, colorful Parisian streets and her own backyard in Birmingham. Artists such as Matisse, Dufy, Chagall, and Van Gogh are true inspirations to her. I always love to read about the artist behind the painting because it gives a greater depth into his art and what was going on in his life.

     Tricia's own life has a story behind her swirly and bright brush strokes. In a favorite quote from Van Gogh, "In order to write a book, do a deed,
make a picture with some life in it, one has to be alive oneself" , Tricia has found increased meaning. Several years ago, while facing the diagnosis
of a chronic medical condition and watching her dad suffer a severe brain injury, Tricia discovered more of what it meant to be "truly alive". Those weeks were very hard. I remember one day when my dad was still in a coma, I walked outside and looked up into the blue July sky. The sky's beauty was the only thing that gave me comfort that day. I learned that winters can take place in the summertime and that we never know how long our story in this life will be. I want to make the most of life and fill it with love, beauty and a playful spirit. Tricia's hope is to show that playful spirit (sensus lusus), joy, and freedom through her paintings. Yes, there is pain in this world, but God gives us so much beauty. And I believe one of the reasons why he gives us beauty is to ease our pain at times. When we take the time to look at a painting or walk through a garden, we may notice a little smile coming into our heart.

    That is Tricia's hope, her wish, putting smiles in people's hearts through paint and brush.