Artist Alchemy with Karen Robinson
From Cape Town to the heart of Noosa’s hinterland, our Spring cover artist fuses paint, print and textiles into a vibrant expression of soulful creativity. Jodie Cameron explores their colourful journey…
Artist and designer Karen Robinson is a true alchemist – blending colour, emotion, and storytelling into every brushstroke, sculpture, and canvas.
When I arrived at her Noosa hinterland abode, the first thing that struck me – before the symphony of birdsong, sweet Shih Tzu Chloe, and cheeky grand-furbaby Bruce – was her voice. There’s something about the South African accent that’s always made me smile: warm, melodic, and intriguing, and paired with Karen’s infectious energy, it was immediately clear I was in for something special.
Together with her husband, fellow artist Vaughan Robinson, their journey is as soulful as it is spectacular. It’s rare to meet a couple so seamlessly aligned in life, in love, and in their creative work – but Karen and Vaughan are just that. Soulmates, collaborators, and an unstoppable artistic duo.
From threads to strokes, Karen has lived a life of colour, a qualified textile designer, she began her career in Cape Town with a needle, thread, and dye – sewing and designing textiles for international firm Finitex. She was offered a role as Head Designer, but the call of the canvas, and a deep desire to create from the heart was stronger.
“It’s a naturally instinctive process, art is my release, so I turned my back on the corporate world because I just knew I was born to create,” Karen says.
Her work spans continents and decades, freelancing for Spanish fabric companies, opening studios in Hermanus and V&A Waterfront in South Africa, and later in New Zealand’s Parnell and Davenport. Today, her work lives and breathes the very essence of her lush surroundings, each piece an act of catharsis and gratitude that depict her love of colour, vibration and feeling.
“I paint for passion; we are all creators in our own way, and we can create our own reality,” she explains. “I want people to feel uplifted because colour is energy, it can heal, it can transform and it’s a reminder to stop and marvel at the beauty around us.”
In 1997, Karen and Vaughan moved their young family to Australia, and their adult children Gavin and Brittany now live nearby with their families. Nestled among native bushland on what locals call the “platinum mile”, their life is a mix of serene creativity, collaborative magic, and the ‘crazy galahs’ that inspired our Spring cover.
“It’s like living in a giant aviary,” she laughs. “We’re surrounded by sugar gliders, glossy black cockatoos and swamp hens – there’s enough space for nature and humans to live side-by-side, with inspiration everywhere you look.”
As I mosey through their art-filled home, it feels like a gallery – alive with story-rich canvases, intricate copper wall pieces, and playful sculptures that pay homage to their love of ‘Australiana’. Karen’s work captures the wonder of the region, where the intersection of art, community and wellbeing are intrinsically linked and creativity is celebrated.
Married for over four decades, Karen and Vaughan are a creative force. Vaughan’s love of copper and Karen’s design eye becoming their business, Copperartist – a synergy of design and craftsmanship. Karen dreams up the concepts – sculptural lighting, water features, wall pieces – and Vaughan brings them to life, fabricating each piece from copper and brass in his phone-free, old-school studio.
“I give Vaughan the vision, then he puts his own spin on it,” Karen says. “That’s where the magic happens – it becomes a true collaboration, and the client ends up with the work of two minds in one piece.”
Their copper commissions appear around Australia and the globe – from New Zealand’s Mission Winery and Napier’s historic estates, to Hastings Street’s Cafe Le Monde, a five-piece installation at the Telstra Building in Newcastle, an eagle light sculpture for the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan, a gift for the CEO of global energy group Petronas, and a birthday present for Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.
Vaughan, a qualified industrial engineer, worked in South African factories, doubling productivity while moonlighting as a silversmith – teaching himself how to fabricate with brass and nickel. A year overseas working with a Spanish jeweller inspired a thriving Cape Town market, and now a popular stall at Eumundi Square Markets.
“I have always liked working with my hands, and Karen is a great sales lady,” Vaughan smiled. “We had five guys producing floral art and lighting; all Karen’s designs, and each week we’d fill our Kombi van, and people would queue to see our latest work – it was the 80s and 90s when people had money!”
Now enjoying a slower pace, the ocean is Vaughan’s rhythm – his days are spent free diving for crayfish along the coast and creating heirloom pieces that will last lifetimes.
“The beauty of copper is it doesn’t rust,” he says. “You can also lacquer it, and it looks brand new again. These artworks will outlive us; it’s wild.”
Karen’s upcoming solo exhibition, Springtime at Pomona Railway Station Gallery promises a riot of colour and nature-inspired wonder. From galahs in motion to abstract flora, it captures the essence of her philosophy: to create joy, express spirit, and honour the natural world.
Whether it’s painting under the Noosa sun, or creating copper commissions for clients across the globe, Karen and Vaughan believe in the transformative power of creativity. If you’re lucky enough to visit their Eumundi Square stall on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays or catch a glimpse of their work in the wild, you’ll feel their unmistakable spark of artistic alchemy.
“We’re so humbled by our patrons – many have become friends and made it possible for us to pursue our dreams and live a life many could only imagine,” Karen says.
So are we.
To follow Karen and Vaughan’s artistic adventures, discover @karennah or @copper_artist on Instagram or visit www.copperartist.com.au
MEET THE ARTIST
Springtime Exhibition
27 September to 22 October
Pomona Railway Station Gallery
3 Station Street, Pomona
Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays
