Artist Biography

Robin Miller-Bookhout’s intrigue and "joie de vivre" with the world of the arts began at the early age of eight while growing up in small town USA. Her parentals wanted her to enjoy the “aesthetics” and so they promptly looked for “private” instruction in the performing arts. It became apparent after a few weeks of piano lessons/dance classes that this was not the avenue for Robin to find her hidden talents or future dreams. (A rather humorous tale all to itself for another time.)

After many local art mentors, art classes, and graduating college with a BSE and Masters in Art Education, Robin realized she could either become a “starving” artist or become an art teacher and encourage youth as she was encouraged. She chose to work in the field of art education as her career path.  During her tenure as a public art educator/specialist, she worked in Curriculum Development, Program Design, Studio/ classroom Instruction, and Community Awareness in the Arts. These experiences enabled her to aspire as a professional art educator, art patron, and professional artist, while continually developing her personal style and skills in watercolours, oil pastels, and various mixed media. 

Following her thirty years in public education, Robin now enjoys plein air experiences, art adventures, teaching a few workshops, traveling and photographing places she, family, and friends visit, which she later uses in her studio to create her art. Robin's work can be found on many juried and selected online registries, as well as in galleries, installations, and private collections throughout the United States and abroad. 

Robin is humbled by the numerous awards and accoladesshe she has received from many local, state and national art groups and juried exhibits, throughout the years which include Best in Shows and Master Artist of the Year awards.  Several noted highlights in Robin's professional art career was being selected the Polly Wood Crews Scholarship recipient in 2015 by the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum for Women in the Arts (ACNMWA), a subsidiary of the National Museum of Women In the Arts in Washington, D.C., for her artwork comparing and contrasting the habitats and culture of her native state of Arkansas with the sister state of Louisiana. While working with the ACNMWA, Robin found herself living on the NorthShore of Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou Faciane in Louisiana totally immersed and inspired in the wonders and beauty of the flora and fauna that surrounded her every day. Recently, Robin had the privilege and honour to be the January 2020 Guest Artist recipient with the Ted DeGrazia Foundation in association with his Mission in the Sun and Gallery in Tucson, Arizona where she lived, painted, and greeted visitors at this historic registry.  Her exhibition was titled "Where the Bayou Meets the Desert in honour of Ted Degrazia and his contribution to the arts. 

Robin is a member of the Mid-Southern Watercolor Society, The National Association Of American Women in the Arts, Southern Arizona Watercolour Guild, Arkansas Art Center, Crystal Bridges Museum, Contemporary Art Museum in New Orleans, Arkansas Art Council, Fenix Fayetteville Collective and Founding Member, Artists of NorthWest Arkansas, American Women Artists Association, and other art leagues which she is honoured to be a part.  She is affiliated with numerous on-line art groups which include Arkansas Committee of The National Museum Of Women in the Arts juried OnLine Registry, Arkansas Women Artists, Women in the Arts, Paint-On, ABUN(Artists and Biologists United in Nature) and various other painterly groups and organizations.

Robin previously traveled the United States as a full-timer in her RV  (Lil Gitan) , “Looking For America” aka “Tales of the Trails” and has settled down for a while in beautiful Hot Springs, Arkansas.  She continues to enjoy painting and meeting new people. She is enjoying writing her book, "This I Know Now" which is a collection of truths and reliable personal accounts, as well as some humorous and anedotal life experiences and quotes. Robin welcomes you to join her on her journey.