Fish Out of Water Collage

Robin McCarthy was born in Los Angeles, California. At the age of ten her father’s job relocated the family to Vancouver, British Columbia for a few years before returning to California where Robin finished her education at public schools, junior college, San Diego State College, and the Otis Art Institute. Her artistic career started as a clothing designer, which led to work in theater costume shops, and the Jim Henson Creature Shop. From there she segued into graphic design for television and film. It was the opportunity to take a class taught by Susan Hill, who led the embroidery of all the linens for Judy Chicago’s iconic Dinner Party, that ignited Robin’s artistic fire for embroidery as fine art. Social, cultural, environmental, and political challenges are frequent themes in her work. She draws the viewer in with the comfort of nostalgic imagery and then leads them to the realization that there is more to it. They are not meant to evoke sentimental complacency, but rather to stimulate thought and conversations, amplifying current events surreptitiously through the traditional art of embroidery. There is a quirky, offbeat, and dark humor to her artwork, while at the same time challenging us to be better stewards of our earth and each other.