The Straw Shop would like to introduce Delphine Robins, a self-taught straw artist, currently living in Scarborough England. Delphine describes her journey;
“I am a French artisan living in UK. For as long as I can remember, I have been attracted to the wonderful styles that emerged during the Art Déco period, mostly the last period called streamline “paquebot” in French.
I started to buy lots of books about furniture, famous craftsmen, paintings, and visited places in Paris where I lived to admire architecture, museums, exhibitions, galleries etc…
In parallel, I worked in boring places, but never forgot my desire to work one day with my hands.
One day, I made that decision and started training with a master upholsterer. How great it was, I did that for 5 years until one day, something incredible happened and changed my life: a documentary with Lison de Caunes speaking about straw marquetry. It was like evidence. I never looked back and never regretted it.”
Delphine describes “straw marquetry is not easy, as it requires lots of precision, patience, dexterity, creativity and the mastery of gestures until reaching perfection or close. it took time to obtain a sufficient level quite near to perfection, and in this field of activity, excellency is the goal for luxury, unique objects.”
Inspired and after 3 years of practice, Delphine opened her own business of straw marquetry in Paris which she enjoyed for 4 years, before moving with her family to the United Kingdom.
Mountain Landscape, Courtesy Delphine Robins
Once there, she began recreating her business.
Delphine enjoys the freedom of expression through straw.
The “panels” she creates are her favorite due to their limitless subject matter possibilities.
Today she describes herself as “collaborating with well known home designers in London with masterpieces, and in parallel, my own creations which I will exhibit next winter in Rome and Milan.”
Not limited to panels, Delphine has applied her work to frames, trays, lamps, furniture, and more. The following gallery displays her versatility. Click on the images to enlarge:
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Light play, Courtesy Delphine Robins
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Table, Courtesy Delphine Robins
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Sunburst frame, Courtesy Delphine Robins
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Lamp, Courtesy Delphine Robins
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Blue box, Courtesy Delphine Robins
Delphine just launched her own website to showcase her work. The Straw Shop is pleased to provide a link here.
The Straw Shop encourages the support of straw artists, and we hope you will too.