Biography:
Artist Robbi Firestone
Robbi Firestone's practice embodies a fusion of the natural world and a vital interest in the latest technology. The artist attempts to provoke thought using a range of media—from oil and pastels to found objects and virtual reality. Her paintings capture vivid abstracted environments; her installations, such as The Empty Womb, make the personal universal; her digital creations forge a new form of storytelling that invites audiences to rediscover their connection to nature; and her virtual reality performances suffuse serene landscapes and figures with vibrant, saturated colors.
Firestone has studied at Parsons School of Design, New York, NY, and the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA. She holds an AA in Communication Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, and a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Recent exhibitions include the National Museum for Women of the Arts: Studio Tour New Mexico Chapter, Santa Fe, NM; Southampton Art; and WAGMI, CAP Gallery, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Recent performances include Paradigm Shift at Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM, and TechnoCanvas: An Immersive Experience In Virtual Realmsat the Currents New Media, Santa Fe, NM.
Career Highlights
NFT Artist, Speaker & Creative Consultant, Firestone was featured artist at South By Southwest & 2021 Art Basel Miami.
Proud to be a Maker's Place Featured Artist, Firestone's NFT Exhibitions in AR & VR include Domance, Domelandia, MakersPlace O(v.)erturned, IllustSpace, SearchlightNFT's Cr3ativeXNYC, FigureGlyph, Gender Equality, WOCA's Women of Crypto Art, FortGallery NFT Future Femme and Royalty, Doingud in CrytpoVoxels, etc.
Firestone soon launches her 'Political Pop' project, CrunchTrump: a 4'h x 3'w portrait of Donald Trump made entirely of Cheetos. A 10k NFT collection, will donate 8% of profit to planetary conservation efforts.
Firestone is a commissioned Artist for Grammy Winners including as MercyMe, KebMo, and band Mayhem Lane.
Virtual Reality Artist/Performer/Fundraising Firestone creates Metaverse fine art via Tilt-brush, enabling viewers to 'enter INTO the painting' via Occulus. Firestone created real-time Meta art experiences at SearchlightNFT: NYC-NFT and @TheClubFomo.
Creative Director Currently serving as Founding Creative Director & NFT Artist for Club FOMO (the first Metaverse & IRL exclusive, members club), Firestone is on the Board of Advisors for SearchLight NFT.
Speaking Engagements With decades of media experience, Firestone hosts Twitter Spaces NFT-licious and produces Web3 onboarding content for youtube, galleries, museums & corporate clients. 2022: ACTAI Global, St. Moritz, Barbados, and Necker Island.
Featured Media Firestone's works have been featured in The New York Times, Worth Magazine, LATravel, Boston Herald, Huffington Post, Seattle Times, inaugural cover Santa Fean NOW and more.
Interviewer/Moderator/Facilitator Her 25 years of international speaking engagements include United Nations, Young President’s Organization , Gold President’s Organization, ACTAI Global, United Centers for Spiritual Living, Women’s Economic Forum, UNM, India Oil Corp, SCORE, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, etc.
Firestone garnered international attention for her art installation, The Empty Womb, which premiered at the United Nations 'in Parallel with the Commission on the Status of Women in 2017.
Subject of Documentary Film Internationally best-selling documentary filmmaker, Betsy Chasse, produced The Empty Womb film about Firestone's work: available on Amazon Prime. (Chasse wrote, directed and produced 30 documentaries including, What the Bleep Do We Know.)
Portraits Commissioned portraits include note-able art collectors, Grammy Winners, CEOs, athletes and global visionaries.
Entrepreneur Firestone owns and operates Santa Fe Art Classes.com, where "Everyone is an Artist." She and her exceptional team is currently voted TripAdvisor's #1 Art Class/Workshop, Best of the Best 2020, and International Travel & Hospitality 2021: Cultural Experience of the Year in New Mexico.
Corporate Art/Media: NYC & LA Advertising & Design gigs include Director of Development; Kudos Inc. 2002-05. Communications & PR; TypoMedia 2000, Mainz Germany. Creative Account Executive: Update Graphics, 1996-2001. Freelance Art Director & Designer NYC & LA 1997-2002. Art Director; Michael Friedman Publishers (Division of Harper Collins) NYC 1994-1997.
A Celebration Of Trees
Created with the intention of educating and expanding thought and consciousness about the world’s vast network of trees while showcasing their beauty, mystery, and importance to humanity’s survival, A Celebration of Trees ran from October through December 18, 2022.
The exhibition included a partnership with the non-profit organization Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, which planted over 100 coastal redwoods in the area in the following months.
Highlighting powerful stories from around the world, including those of Indigenous peoples—the original guardians of the forest—a thoughtful series of programming featured documentary films, talks from both artists and environmentalists, creative workshops, and educational events in collaboration with nature-focused organizations from across the East End of Long Island.
The exhibition showcased a diverse array of artists from over 20 countries, including famed photographer and defender of the Amazon Sebastião Salgado, environmental painter Sibylle Szaggars Redford, political / philosophical artist Charles Gaines, self-taught woodworker and guitarist Freeman Vines, Hopi / Tewa artist Dan Namingha, and more.
The Empty Womb
The Empty Womb art installation combines medical and pharmaceutical paraphernalia from Firestone’s personal in-vitro journey with traditional women’s work (crocheting, video, embroidery, fabric work, lullabies).
The Empty Womb is a short documentary...raw, honest and an authentic exploration into the deep painful emotions such as grief, jealousy, rage and loss experienced by Robbi Firestone as she shares her journey making fiercely honest art to heal her experience through Infertility, and support other women grieving the loss of Motherhood.
The documentary by internationally renowned, award winning filmmaker, Betsy Chasse (Writer/Producer/Director of "What the Bleep do We Know," and 30+ documentaries.) Available on Amazon Prime.
Awards
Iconic Leaders Bettering the World for All. Delhi, India and Global Women's Empowerment Network, 2017
Women's Economic Forum, New Delhi India.
All Women’s League Honorary Lifetime Member.
Global Women’s Empowerment Network.
TripAdvisor’s #1 Workshop/Class.
Travel & Hospitality International’s 2021. Best Cultural Experience, New Mexico.
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best. 2021 & 2020. Best Actress, Short Film: Munich Film Festival.
Dennis Feldman Leadership Award.
Board of Directors: Center for Spiritual Living. Board of Trustees: Hollywood Council of Arts.
Museum Reviews
New Mexico Museum of Art
Dear Robbi,
“…the thank you goes to you for the invitation to see your installation in progress. It was generous of you to share, and your openness and vulnerability in sharing is noted and commended. You are telling a powerful story, and I think you will find, like Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, this project may take on a life of its own and take years to unfold…”
My Best,
Merry Scully
Head of Curatorial Affairs
Curator of Contemporary Art
New Mexico Museum of Art
CREATIVE SANTA FE
Robbi, your work is courageous, thoughtful, painstaking and heartfelt. I am humbled by your vulnerability and passion. I must admit I was rendered a bit speechless by the raw passion and pain of all you have experienced as well as the scope of the project and its impact. I look forward to speaking with you in more detail about the project and where it’s headed. Congratulations, Robbi. It is a remarkable project. Thank you for including me yesterday.
Much love,
Cindy Conn,
Executive Director
Creative Santa Fe
NATIONAL MUSEUM of WOMEN in the ARTS
Dear Robbi, I would like to thank you on behalf of the members of our Board who attended your moving presentation yesterday. You are a testament to the power of transforming personal pain and loss into a benefit for the greater good…
Eva Borins
President
New Mexico Chapter, National Museum for Women in the Arts