2003 - 2016

The decision to return to the peaceful life of a creative artist and leave the commercial world of Trade Shows and marketing, was one I have never regretted. It meant that I was now free to travel, to get inspiration wherever I went and to have the space in my head needed for new creative Batik work.

I began work in earnest in my Gallery to frame and back-light many original Batiks which had never before been seen, other than reproduced as greetings cards and prints..

For the five years from 2005 to 2010, I spent most of my time in the Yorkshire Dales, looking after my mother, until she died.

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When I returned home, I knew it was time for me to focus my thoughts and pour my energies into my creative work. I threw myself into the task of getting the Gallery ready to open to the public.

Inspired by my collection of Art Nouveau antiques, I began designing what was to be the first of many Batiks in the Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts style.

In August 2013 I opened the Wharf Gallery for the first of several 'Summer Exhibitions' and the start of a new creative phase.

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This group of Venice studies are the few still left from a large body of work I did at this time.

They were a tribute to my mother who had been my great companion on all our Venice trips. My work has been truly inspired by that beautiful city and the many photographs I took there.

These doorbells, are on a wall close to St Marks.

My visits to Venice were always in the winter, avoiding the crowds of tourists but the weather never mattered, the light is so amazing. Venice is spectacular even in the rain!

My love of Art Nouveau inspired a series of flower panels and lampshades. This poppy panel was one of a series of flowers in the art nouveau style.

This is my beautiful collie 'Charlie,' who sadly died too young and is much missed.

The 'Elephant and Child' study was a working piece for a lampshade commission. It so often happens that commissions take me down new paths and this one resulted in a whole series of wild animal paintings.

In spring 2016 I opened the Wharf Gallery with the '50 years of Batik' exhibition, a celebration of my work.

This small sheep dog study was the result of a wonderful day I spent teaching Batik to 8-10 year olds in an inner city school.

The magnificent viaduct 'Whalley Arches' spans the River Calder in Lancashire. I lived in Whalley for 20 years, the birthplace of my two children. This is an unashamedly nostalgic picture of the view from our house.

These batiks were test pieces for much larger paintings in my wild animal series . They helped me to work out the order of the colours.

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Irises and Dragonflies is the centrepiece of the '50 Years of Batik' exhibition and it brings us full circle.

In the fifty years that I have been a Batik Artist, I have been intrigued by the natural forms of irises and the patterns in the lacy wings of dragonflies.

My work has of course evolved over time but these two subjects have been a constant inspiration.

Buffy Robinson

🔴 These pieces sold in the '50 Years of Batik' exhibition