"We all want the freedom to be who we are." - Robin Motzer
Artist Interview Series
At long last, I’m back with another Artist Interview! Today I’m excited to share my talk with Robin Motzer, the author behind the
Substack and founder of Restoring Soils and Souls. We connected on Substack; another great example of how this platform fosters community.
As you’ll learn in our conversation below, Robin is a multi-talented artist and activist. Among her many accolades, she won a Citizen Schools Award for her after school class about restoring homes and lands for those in need, has traveled the world, helped create a non-profit to help educate the public about the dangers of electromagnetic radiation, and has been featured in films about recycling and the ancient frankincense trail. Our conversation touched on many things, including the often winding path to being an artist. Enjoy!
Note: This conversation has been edited and condensed.
Thank you so much for joining me. To start off simple here: what is your job?
Thanks for inviting me, Marissa, it's great to meet you. And my job: I'm a freelance artist and writer. I do animal portraits, and I do nature scenes, and I do sell them. I'm in an art shows with my animal prints and poetry. I also write a feature on Substack called
, featuring essays, poetry, and art with a purpose of advocacy, including a project that I created called Restoring Soils and Souls.1 It is a culmination of my life's work, not only in art, but also in conservation-restoration. I have a habitat restoration group where we do food and native pollinator gardens around the community. mission is to help people understand the importance of stewardship, not only of our soils, but how reciprocity positively effects our souls.You might be aware of the gut microbiome. We've got microbiomes all over our body, brain, and in our soil. We come from soil and are part of the soil. It is misguided and unfortunate to poison and deplete our soils and souls. Restoring Soils and Souls is to help people understand our connection to our mind, body, spirit and nature. We're all One. What we do to one, we do to ourselves.
Some of my essays include introspective questions, guidance, and includes a lot of references for one’s own research so that they can dig deeper to Know Theyself. I also interview organizations from all over the world. I recently published an essay with Born Free USA. They were one of my earliest inspirations - the Born Free film, from the 60’s, is about conservationists who rescued and freed a lion cub. Their compassion spoke really deeply to me, because we all want freedom to be who we are, be liberated in ourselves and live freely. We can express who we are through our art, whether it be dance, paintings, poetry or music. It's really important to be ourselves and give back to others- that is love in action- we are born free.
It seems like you've got a really comprehensive way of incorporating everything. Because it sounds like you're such a multidisciplinary artist, I wanted to ask more about the writing and drawing. Was that something you started as a kid? Were you always interested or was it something you'd have discovered through school?
That's a great question. I was born an artist, and found myself drawing and writing poems for hours. I entertained myself creating and being in nature. As early as I can remember, I was creating greeting cards with poetry, and giving them to my parents, grandparents, other family members and friends.
An interesting aside to that question is school. I began life as an artist and a writer/ poet. I figured, okay, well, I'll be an art major in college. Let me say, it was horrible and turned me off from art. The University, in our freshman year, decided to do an experiment. They put us in studios and classes from eight to five, Monday through Friday, plus assigned art projects to do after classes. It was a sleepless, exhausting year, and it turned us away from our love of art. The university’s experiment failed, they lost a lot of art majors and they stopped. It was sad, being a natural artist, and then feeling, I don't think I can be an artist now, if being an artist is exhaustive and depleting- and what is the point- what is the gain?! I've heard similar stories from other artists that their University experience lacked proper guidance and direction, which left them confused and starting over with another major and focus. The lesson I learned was the importance of be who you are, allow your expression of ourself that comes from our innate natural talents and enjoy the journey. When we live what’s true, we don't necessarily have to rely on what school or society says. Do what you love, what you’re good at, what you are naturally inclined to do. When you believe in yourself and your work, you will find a way to do your work, your love, and be supported.
I agree with that completely. I do want to come back to that in a moment, but as a personal side note, I've very similarly considered myself a writer my whole life. But when I was in college, I didn't have a whole lot of confidence in myself as a writer, but I knew enough about myself that I knew that if I was an English major, I would mold my writing style to please professors, for grades. So I never took any creative writing classes. I was a Political Science and French double major, and wrote on the side, because I had a fear of that; that if I pursue writing professionally, so to speak, then it's just going to suck all the joy right out of it.
Yes, yes, yes. That was similar with me, too, when I was deciding between an art major and some type of writing major, I went through a similar process as you did, How can I be true to myself and make a living with the traditional journalism routes? The options didn't speak to me. So putting those talents aside, I wanted to grow and learn what interested me, so I created my own path of learning and work. I decided to go into the design field because I also had an interest in architecture, building and design. I owned my own design-build business for a while, doing remodels and show homes, including a “Street of Dreams” home, and a “green build” project called, Vision House Tucson. I enjoyed working with “the grandfather of green building,” John Wesley Miller, who was a contractor on Biosphere II.
Work in the design-build field was good for a while, especially with “green design-build” projects, although, my true calling of art, nature, writing and advocacy, called to me even more. I went back to school to learn about soil health so I really understood what was going on with the microcosm and the microbiome in soils, fungi, the “wood wide web” that we are a part of, and have an accreditation in organic land care. Through advocacy, I have helped ban wildlife killing contests in Arizona, the 4th state to do so. I have also helped remove an old diesel tram from a State Park, and helped to get the first female appointed as an Arizona Game and Fish Commissioner. My work with City and County Parks and Rec, as well as with HOA’s, community food and pollinator gardens for traumatized children and adults, stems from my work designing healing gardens for hospitals- all managed organically, with regenerative principles. I’ve worked to help keep waterways clean and free, and was asked to run for office twice, including by a Vice Mayor of a City in Arizona. Our land has paperwork signed by an U.S. President, in 1907, and states “this Cherokee land” is now back in Cherokee hands.
message is that nature belongs to itself, and we are each a piece of the beauty and peace. We are rewilding, planting thousands of native flora and food for biota, with plans to protect it in perpetuity as a park.Then I started weaving everything together and created
and Restoring Soils and Souls to incorporate my advocacy work. It's been an exciting journey to get to this point- I have a lot of great information to share to help heal trauma, love oneself, others and all of nature’s beings and how to be a great steward.Do what you love, what you’re good at, what you are naturally inclined to do. When you believe in yourself and your work, you will find a way to do your work, your love, and be supported.
This is part of the question I was going to ask, which leads in perfectly. Was creating
your way back into the artistic side of yourself?Yes, absolutely. It is totally an expression of my compassion and empathy for loving and being who we are, each of us, and the importance of giving back. Be yourself, have courage to be the change, be aware: connect the dots, because there's a lot of hypocrisy and tyranny in the world, especially now.
reminds humans of what they know and for those who may need reminders and guidance to go within, spend quiet time by yourself, enjoy connection with nature and Something Greater than Ourselves, listen to the inner “calling” - what's calling you to be a part of life. Symbiosis is Sublime, a message that is featured in my latest publication:
A couple of ancillary technical questions, because you mentioned you do the that you've got an exhibit going on currently and that you do the pet portraits as well. Whenever I hear portraits, I immediately think of painting. So what is the specific media you work in, visually?
I paint with oils and acrylics. Since I'm working on the road, I’ve kept it really simple with sketch paper and a pencil, which helps me get back to my drawing skills. As an artist, drawing skills are essential. With my pencil on paper animal portraits, the eyes are the window to the soul. And hopefully, the animal portraits speak to something within people when they look in the eyes of animals, and say, you know, they are beings that have feelings, needs, families, friends, and they're really not any different than us.
Then with the writing, I know you mentioned as a kid, you were doing the greeting cards and the poetry. Have you kept with poetry? Or have you found a certain form within writing that that speaks to you?
Yes. That's another great question. My poetry is utilized in different advocacy events. One example: a friend of mine and I co-created an event to raise awareness about the last free flowing river in the desert southwest. We wanted to bring attention to the river because a border wall was planned to go through the river, blocking her flow and wildlife’s ability to migrate. With this huge political “football” facing all of us, we wanted to create an event to showcase how do we raise awareness to protect a river and all the inhabitants and at the same time deal with the political realm and all of the issues that encompass the whole topic, which is complex? Congress people, other local leaders, the public, artists, and journalists attended the event. After I read my poem, a Congressman and a Representative from the Conservancy of National Parks asked me to run for office. They were impressed with my poetry and message. I said, Thank you, that's a huge compliment, and said the Parks Conservancy man should run for office. He did, and is now a Vice-Mayor. I feel that I can do more as an advocate-teacher-artist. Some of the work I've done with local leaders includes stopping sales of puppies raised in puppy mills, closing greyhound race tracks, and getting wildlife killing contests banned in Arizona. So these are some ways I use my poetry, essays, art and advocacy to help more than humans and the places we all inhabit. My friend, the co-creator of the river event, and her husband, created a booklet called San Pedro River Anthology.2 It has essays, poetry and art all raising awareness for the San Pedro River.
Getting back into the nature a little bit, because I'm inferring from some of your previous answers that you said, you've always been a nature loving person. Was there anything as a kid that stood out? Like a moment of, Ah, yes, this is going to be part of my life forever? I'd love to hear a little bit more about that.
Yes, I had a seminal moment, luckily, when I was a toddler. My family read Jungle Book to me nightly. I loved that book, and I would sleep with that book. I would read it, look at the art, and I wanted to be Mowgli, and live in the wild and talk with the animals. And, the film Born Free, which I mentioned. A natural life called to me. No matter whether it was my design work, a remodel, teaching or whatever, I always had restoration-conservation in mind. A holistic perspective made me a better person and a better design professional, always asking, what is best for the people and animals who are going to inhabit this space, this garden, this land? What's the best for connection with nature? And how can we use building materials that work with nature, not against it? My life has been to live with connection with everything and help make the world a better place. That's really been the formulation and the “plant-based” recipe for my entire life- my food is all plant-based, too. Support small, local businesses, artisans and farmers! Vote with your dollars and buy things made with natural materials, and reduce consumption. Live simply and naturally: recycle, reuse, and reduce waste.
That is so great and so inspiring. You've kind of answered this a little bit already, but you know, for posterity’s sake. Do you consider yourself a working artist?
Currently, I am scheduled to be in various shows exhibiting my art and poetry, February-July, 2024, with a goal of being a part of shows throughout the entire year. Writing and art take a lot of time, as well as doing advocacy, marketing my services and projects. My work is a full time expression with income and positive outcomes, all by design for a better world.
Is there something you're working towards?
Yes. Another great question, thank you. Going back to Restoring Soils and Souls, I'm talking to organizations and nonprofits, and they're really liking the message. The goal is to partner with organizations and creatives, so that the advocacy work reaches a broader audience and engages people.
Please support my art, poetry, essays on Wildlands and through Sustainable Tucson Habitat Restoration projects, a regenerative farm with historical roots. I am available to be a guest on podcasts, and inspired The Arizona Republic to create a regenerative farming podcast- I was one of their first guests. The goal is to have projects throughout the US and the world. My Wild and Free Nature Nomad’s work is growing organically, nationally and internationally.
features conservation, restoration, the importance of reciprocity to reduce harm, disentangle problems, thrive with diversity to peacefully co-exist in the U.S. and around the world. My great-grandfather was a farmer and friend of a U.S. President, my great-aunt babysat the daughter of the President, and another ancestor fought in the American Revolution. My partner, a Physicist and a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and I now own farmland- land that his family has owned since 1902. Food, farming and freedom are infused in my life and restoration-conservation are a part of my Soul.I designed a remodel of our home incorporating organic, natural building design and materials, connecting the home with the land, along with restoration of land. Our message is soil health, native flora, fauna and water. Reducing water usage is a really big topic, especially in the desert southwest, as well as for the central plains and prairies- let’s remember the tragedies of The Dust Bowl, and make better choices.
is a culmination of decades of work in environmental justice, restoration, conservation, health, community, design, regarding the importance of Self-Reliance for restoration and conservation of the body-mind-spirit-nature. It is a joy to work with the soil, assisting, partnering, loving and co-restoring all the souls within and upon it. The goal is to inspire and bring opportunities to others to steward, grow their own food, and create restoration-conservation projects to leave their own legacy of beauty, empathy and freedom.An understanding of Higher Laws guides my work to free nature, more than humans and humans from politics and helps to return us to ourselves, we are our own Authority and thrive when we are Self-Reliant and work together. We are planning to create a park in perpetuity on our historic farm. The park will pay tribute to the Indigenous, the pioneers and farmers who built this great Country, and will be an ode to nature, health and freedom, whole, plant-based food and growing it. Anyone who is interested in learning more, please contact me.
“Reclaim, retrieve, renew your power- be responsible, reciprocate and rejoice, for you are empowered and connected with nature!”
Where are your programs right now? Are they like within a specific state? Because obviously, we're talking US domestically, but I guess where's your reach currently?
is national and international. My art and poetry are featured in these great Organizations, Galleries and Publications in Arizona, Oklahoma and Ohio:Sustainable Tucson, Habitat Restoration, June 2020-Present
WACH, Women’s Art Club of Hamilton, “Pieces of Me” Art Show, February 17- March 21, 2024, at The Strauss Gallery and Fitton Center for the Creative Arts.
Oxford Community Arts Center, Miami University, Oxford, OH, "Changing Climates, Changing Communities: Local Reflections of a Global Issue" exhibition, March 8-April 4, 2024.
OWAA- Outdoors Writers Association of America-Outdoors Unlimited, Spring 2024 issue in the "Meet a Member", Spring 2024
OWAA- Outdoors Writers Association of America- Editorial, Outdoors Unlimited, Summer 2024
Fitton Center for the Creative Arts, Member Art Show, May-July 2024
What are the best and worst parts, to you, about being a working artist?
That's a very, very good question. I'd say the best is that it's freeing. It truly comes from within, everybody has a different perspective and talent, and we all share common themes: health, love, productivity. Art is a way to share a personal perspective. The downside is just the hustle of it and our society’s lack of valuing art and writing. For instance, finding the right show, applying, and same with writing articles, reaching out to different journals, being compensated for skills and time. It is a constant juggling of schedules, when is this due? when is this deadline? Who wants and needs my work? And where are they? Sometimes it feels like a lot of research to find the right outlets, especially if you have a niche or something that doesn't quite fit in with “the norms”, so to speak. If you're blazing your own trails, like I do, it can be daunting, especially when getting started. What I've learned is that persistence and patience are the key to success.
A little offshoot of thinking about your artistic practice - Is there anything you do either for the drawing and writing that you do as continuing education, developing or furthering your own skills?
Absolutely. I am a lifelong student, so I'm always learning and growing. I was a part of an art studio with Lilias Appland. She was known as “the Crayon Lady”, and she was the only student of R. Brownell McGrew, who is considered a modern master. She had an art studio, and guided several of us to hone our skills. And she was magical. She believed in us, she encouraged us to be ourselves, and she knew that a lot of the traditional paths for artists didn’t work for a lot of artists. For instance, art galleries take 50 to 60% of the sale, and you have to produce a lot of art to make a gallery relationship work on a full-time basis. She was in her 70’s when I met her, and she did art until the day she died at 95. She was my inspiration and cheered me on through shows, projects, and was there for me when times were tough.
I have two separate but equal questions. Do you have any other creative practices that aren't necessarily drawing or writing that you just do for your own fulfillment?
I'd like to put my art on clothing one day. I spend solitary time in nature, hiking, swimming and walking. I like to connect, ponder, unwind, and take long walks. Quiet time gives me a chance to think, create and exercise. I recently started playing pickleball to socialize and get exercise.
I've never played it, have no idea what this is, but I'm so glad so many people love it.
I had heard about pickleball for years and it's a good way to get outside, get some Vitamin D, fresh air, and meet people. I enjoy playing outside. I'm a very social, and being an artist and a writer can be very solo work.
That's awesome. One day I will figure out what pickleball is.
Pickle ball was invented in the 60’s, in the U.S. I met a lady playing pickleball who is American and lives in Sweden. She said that pickleball just reached Swedish soils, and she helped bring it there.
Has there been a teacher or a mentor, or a professor who either helped your career or inspired you to keep going?
I was really lucky in public schools, I had a great experience and had great teachers and mentors. I was in honors English, my English teachers loved my writing, encouraged me to be in writing contests. I won scholarships and they really believed in me. My art teachers believed in my art and loved my art. I had that encouragement from my family, which was great. Once I got to the university level, I really wanted a mentor, but I didn't really have that person. I think it's really important, because I kind of feel like I got lost in trying to figure things out on my own. A mentor would have really helped me focus on being successful. It seems that since I didn't find that person, I guess that I was meant to mentor myself, which did allow me to “go the road less traveled.” Being adventurous has paid off and is why I have the focus with my work.
You mentioned at the at the very top that you are in this gallery exhibition right now. Can you talk about what's going on for you right now? What's coming up, either with
or any of your other artistic projects?Yes, absolutely. Thank you. So the current show is called “Pieces of Me.” And it's through the Women's Art Club of Hamilton, which happens to be my hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. The show opened February 17th through March 22nd. And it's a dual gallery show, two galleries are involved. We were asked to submit no more than three pieces of art. I've got two cat portraits at Strauss Gallery Art Space in Hamilton, Ohio, and a dog portrait drawing and at the Fitton Center for the Creative Arts, in Hamilton, Ohio. Both of those places are great for artists. The show features about 50 artists. WACH is a really great new organization, and was founded about two years ago, it's been great. They've got a lot of ambition and vision and so they're doing great things for artists in the Southern Ohio area, in Hamilton, Ohio.
Is there anything with
that we should know about?I published an essay called Born Free USA, featuring an interview with Devin Schowe, who worked at the Born Free USA primate sanctuary, the largest primate sanctuary in the country. Now she works with campaigns and education. I also interviewed Wayne Pacelle, the Founder of Animal Wellness Action. Both organizations raise awareness of what animals are going through due to human issues, advocate in Washington, D.C., and share ways of how we can help reduce problems for animals.
Please read my Mowgli adventures with wildlife: Grey hawk, birds, fish, dolphins, bees, hummingbirds, fox and a bear, with more stories coming soon. I have had many playful, beautiful experiences with more than humans. They definitely love humans and ask us to respect their Intelligence, Sentience, and remember to include them before making decisions of what you consume and support- whether it be food, clothing, furniture, schools, businesses, politicians, and everything you think, say and do. The more than humans matter, and so does nature. They have rights, we can fix our problems by including them, their habitats, and it long past time we do so.
work shares many ways to do good, heal and help guide us all to a better world!The travel that you're doing right now is for Soils and Souls?
Yes, projects are currently in three States, with plans for expansion. Anyone who would like guidance with restoration-conservation projects, home and land design, and/ or health-wellness guidance, please contact me. In Southern Arizona, we have garden projects. In Ohio, art, poetry and outreach opportunities. In Oklahoma, we have restoration and conservation project with the land and a mid-century modern ranch house. My design and architecture skills allow us to take the home down to the studs, move walls, raise ceilings, for a floor plan with more openness and flow. It’s an organic design, using reclaimed and natural materials, and connects the indoors with the outdoors. The whole back of the home is all folding glass doors, so you can just literally open up to the land and be a part of nature. We are talking with a local University to build a tiny hemp home, and plant hemp. We've planted hundreds of native shrubs, wild grasses, wildflowers, and trees for the wildlife and us: flowering trees, fruit trees, nut trees, and several different species of milkweeds for the monarchs. We were awarded a grant by Monarch Watch. And, Okies for Monarchs does a lot of great work in Oklahoma. Monarch migrations are a big deal in Oklahoma, especially because Monarch numbers are historically low right now. It is important for people to plant native pollinator plants to help bees, birds, insects and all of the pollinators- they are responsible for at least 30% of our food. Please contact me and thank you for your interest in the work- it is fun and rewarding- all are welcome and needed be a part of the revolution.
I could be making this up, but I thought I saw in a documentary years ago that Monarch Butterflies migrate through the middle part of the country?
They sure do. Oklahoma celebrates with Monarch watches and educates the public in a fun way. They're asking everybody in Oklahoma to plant 10 milkweeds of at least two different native species. People can apply for a grant through here. We did, and we were able to plant several dozens of two different species of milkweeds. Eventually, our farm will also have food and herb gardens. Our remodel is going slowly, because of our contractor’s lack of good, reliable workers. The project is on year two: we had supply chain, contractor and delivery issues. And, the forest across the street was burnt down by an out of State Oil Company during 2022’s extreme Summer drought and heat. We tried to stop it...it was heartbreaking. Bald eagles and other wildlife lived there. Rising up to speak what is true and good, expanding consciousness, patience and persistence are necessary. I made “lemonade out of lemons,” and took my work on the road, which also helps grow the network. It’s been a joy sharing the mission of Restoring Soils and Souls.
Before my last couple of questions, I forgot to ask earlier when you mentioned you went back to school and got a degree in understanding soil composition. What degree was that?
It's an accreditation through NOFA, Northern Organic Farmers Association.
NOFA has classes online and in person, for an accreditation in soil health and organic land care management. For a group near you, go to the Organic Farmers Association website.
Where can people find you?
Is there anything you wish you would have known before you left the design world and embarked on this journey of starting
and incorporating your art into your working life? Is there anything you wish you would have known before you started that?Yes, I'd say, belief in myself and the mission. I've had this vision for so long, and it's been a journey to figure out where I can use my talents and skills. And to answer your question again, about did I go back to school, I went back to school to get my massage license, and have other natural healing certifications. I do Reiki, Healing Touch for people and animals, nutrition, and other forms of holistic healing. I'm plant based, and have had a whole food plant based diet for 35 years. I was a sickly kid, and it would have been great to have been taught self-care in a way that really is true: we do not need to eat animals. Our world would be healthier if more people knew this. I'm living proof and so is my partner, who has been plant based for at least 25 years. Food is medicine. How to put my love of art writing and nature together in a way that could sustain me financially would have been great to know right after College, but I am more empowered and experienced now.
My last question for you with our remaining time: Is there anything else that I didn't ask you or that you're thinking of that you'd want to talk about?
I've really enjoyed talking with you, Marissa. It's been really fun. Thank you for this opportunity. I am a new member of Outdoor Writers Association of America, and I went to their media conference last year, they hold it in different parts of the United States. Last year, it was in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and I met a lot of great people and connected to outdoor writers. So it was really cool experience. And I'm going to be featured in their “Meet a Member” feature in their magazine, and will be published in Spring 2024. So around May 1, you can learn a little bit more about me and my work, and then I'm going to be writing a feature for them for their Summer 2024 issue.
Thanks again to Robin for sharing her time and mission with me! I’ve got a few exciting interviews coming up, and next week, a reader requested book review.
Restoring Soils and Souls and Wild and Free Nature Nomad are regular, recurring features on Wildlands.
Robin also shares some of her poetry that was featured in this anthology on Wildlands.
Thank you, Marissa! Your feature of my work, Wildlands, Restoring Soils and Souls from a Nature Nomad's perspective, is informative and fun! Cheers, great job, and thank you for your support!