POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH:  Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson.  Please click here for my latest blog news!

PHOTOBOOK  – 2021

Information to follow soon…

 

MEDIA – 2018

New drink-driving and drug driving laws were launched at the end of April 2018. The Minister for Roads and Road Safety – The Hon. Luke Donnellan MP spoke with the media in conjunction with TAC, VicRoads, and Victoria Police. As a volunteer speaker with Road Trauma Support Services, I was asked if I would speak to the media at the Launch about the importance of being a safe and responsible driver, as my son Ben was killed in road trauma in 2009.  He had been drink-driving at the time of his death.  It was a great honour to have been asked, and I did my best to help launch these important road safety laws which will in turn help save lives and reduce serious injuries caused by road trauma.

 

 

 

MEDIA – 2017

 

 

 

 

Recently I was asked by TAC (Transport Accident Commission – Victoria) if I would be interested in talking about being a mother who has lost a son to road trauma and about what was it is like to be without him on mother’s day.  To also talk about my road safety message to the wider community.  Please find here above the short TAC film titled ‘Karen’s Story’ produced and used as a road safety message for Mother’s Day 2017.

 

© Karen Robinson – May 2017

 

 

 

MEDIA – 2017

 

 

 

During mid 2016 I received an email from Gail Buschman, Senior Graphic Designer of Sage Publishing, an international academic publisher based in Thousand Oaks, California.  They were interested in using one of my images ‘Abstract Painting No. 64 – Titled ‘For One’s Well-being‘ on the cover of a forthcoming textbook; and the Second Edition of William J Ray’s ‘Abnormal Psychology‘ – Pennsylvania State University.  They asked if I would be interested in licensing it to them for book publishing, specifically for print and electronic book cover and website landing page header, circulation 20,000, geography – world rights, duration 7 year license/usage from publication date, exposure 1 language, inclusive of a credit line on the back cover.  After some discussions with family and friends, and after becoming a member with Copyright Agency/Viscopy – I agreed.

NB:  Please click here to read the full blog article

© Karen Robinson – April 2017

 

 

MEDIA – 2017

 

Recently, myself along side of three other Road Trauma Support Services (RTSSV) Volunteer Speakers – participated in the making of a short film about RTSSV’s counselling and support services (see below).  Caroline and Ryan from Rybazoid interviewed each of us, asking a series of questions in relation to our family’s road trauma stories.  Once more, I found myself talking about the loss of my son, Ben, who had been killed in a single vehicle car crash on the 5th November 2009 at the age of 25; and talking about the incredible support services available at RTSSV.

 

Published on Apr 19, 2017 – A short film about Road Trauma Support Services Victoria Counselling and Support Services – a Rybazoid production. It features a number of Volunteer Speakers sharing their personal road trauma stories inclusive of myself.

NB:  Please click here to read the full blog article

© Karen Robinson – April 2017

 

 

MEDIA – 2016

On Tuesday 25th October, 2016 I was asked by ABC 774 if I would like to do an interview with them about road safety and road trauma, about the work that so many people at Road Trauma Support Services do every day in the hope that their efforts will save lives and reduce serious injury caused by road trauma.  The interview was directly in response to a dreadful car crash that had occurred just during this particular week where a 15-year-old boy had been killed, two young girls critically injured and two others injured in a single car crash.  This below is the interview sound cloud produced by TAC Victoria with Raf Epstein – DRIVE Program ABC 774.

 

 

© Karen Robinson – October 2016

 

 

MEDIA – 2015

 

No. 1 – Transport accident commission victoria (tac) short video

 

Transport Accident Commission Victoria made a short video of myself on the opening night of my solo exhibition at Gee Lee-Wik Doleen Gallery 2015.  I talk about how my art has been a form of therapy over the last five years since the death of my son who had been killed in road trauma 5th November 2009.  A very big thank you to TAC’s CEO – Janet Dore for seeing the value in spending the time and money in capturing this very special moment in my life.  Link:  http://www.tac.vic.gov.au

 

No. 2 – Local Newspaper Article – “Brushstrokes aid healing for Karen”

Story as written in article by Natalie Salvino – Hume Leader May 19 – 2015:

WHEN the right words were too hard to find, Karen Robinson poured her feelings onto canvas. Now the Attwood woman’s heartfelt stories have been transformed into a colourful exhibition at Gee Lee-Wik Doleen Gallery.

Robinson said her artistic venture had proved to be a healing process. Her husband Mark was diagnosed with lymphoma in November 2008, forcing her to take on the role of carer. But little did she know that while her husband would recover, their son Ben would lose his life in a road accident just 12 months later. “I just painted and painted and painted my way through my grief and despair”. she said. “I found the whole process of painting and sitting down and writing a story to that painting very therapeutic.” Since then, Robinson has blogged about her experience and had been involved in several TAC Picture This exhibitions. When Words are Hard to Find is on at Hume Global Learning Centre, Craigieburn until June 28.  Details:  idoartkarenrobinson.com

NB:  Please click here to view details of the exhibition written about in the above and below articles.

 

No. 3 – LOCAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE – “BRUSH EASES BITTER BLOWS”

Story as written in article by Lexi Cottee – Northern Star Weekly May – 2015:

When Karen Robinson’s husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, she decided to pay her local artist supply shop a visit. As a child Ms Robinson was an avid painter.  But her passion for colour and creative expression took a backseat when her career in the bridal industry took off and later with the arrival of two children. But her husband’s diagnosis shifted priorities for the family of four.  Ms Robinson took a year off work to care for her husband and then took up painting to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of chemotherapy and debilitating effects of the disease. “We didn’t know if he would live or die,” sh said. “Art became critical to staying sane.”

While her husband’s cancer was successfully treated, tragedy struck the family less than a year later.

Their 25-year-old son, Ben, was killed while driving home from a night out in Bendigo.  Police believe he was speeding when a kangaroo crossed his path, causing him to lose control of the car and slam into a tree about 4.3oam.

Solace for Ms Robinson was again found through a paintbrush in hand. “At that time I found it ver difficult to process what I was thinking so I used art to express deeply felt emotion.  It helped me verbalise the trauma I was experiencing.” Since 2008, Ms Robinson, of Attwood, has produced 60 works of art, all searingly honest and surprisingly colourful.  Fifteen of them will be on display in her first solo exhibition at the Gee Lee-Wik Doleen Gallery at Craigieburn from May 7. When Words are Hard to Find, as the exhibition is titled, is the artist’s interpretation of family life, through times of grief and trauma to travel adventures and career milestones. Hume mayor Adem Atmaca said Ms Robinson’s work explores ow it is possible to come from a point where words are hard to find to a place where everyday joy is refound. “The paintings offer a profound glimpse into her psyche,” he said.  When Words are Hard to Find opens Wednesday, May 6, 6-7.30pm, at Gee Lee-Wik Doleen Gallery, Hume Global Learning Centre, Craigieburn.  The exhibition runs until June 27.

NB:  To view a PDF of article – please click on this link:

Northern Starweekly News Paper Article ‘Brush eases bitter blows’ by Lexi Cottee featuring Karen Robinson in her studio photo by Joe Mastroianni May 2015

 

No. 4 – Karen Robinson on 9 news – on drink driving

Karen Robinson’s Channel Nine News Interview in relation to drink/driving alcohol levels being reduced to 0.02 instead of the current tolerance of 0.05. Karen believes that it should be reduced to zero tolerance in the hope that it may spare other families the loss of a loved one. Karen’s son Ben was killed in a car crash on 5th November 2009.

 

 

 

MEDIA 2012

No. 1 – TRANSPORT ACCIDENT COMMISSION (TAC) – sTATIC WEBPAGE ON rOBINSON FAMILY

TAC Transport Accident Commission – “Robinson Family – A series of abstract paintings representing the journey of the Robinson family” Story.  NB:  Click link below for details

Robinson Family – TAC – Transport Accident Commission

 

MEDIA 2011

No. 1 – TRANSPORT ACCIDENT COMMISSION (TAC) – CLIENT VIDEO FEATURING KAREN ROBINSON

 

 

 

Details in relation to the Video – Transport Accident Commission (TAC) CLIENT VIDEO:  Featuring Karen Robinson talking about using ‘art for therapy’ for TAC’s 2011 ‘Picture This’ Exhibition.  It is “now in its fifth year and provides people who have been affected by road trauma to use artistic expression, whether it is drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, photography or textiles, to share their experiences.  The exhibitions showcase artwork by people who have either taken up art since being involved in a  transport accident, or who were artists before their accident“. TAC (2013). Client art exhibition – Picture This 2013. Retrieved from http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/claims/client-zone/client-art-exhibition.

 

 

© Karen Robinson – May 2015

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH:  Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson.  Please click here for my latest blog news!