COVERING THE BASES
When CG Detroit® looked at the bench to hire a graphic designer, we definitely got a grand slam with Robbin Sawyer: fine artist, fabricator and graphic designer.
A talented softball player, Robbin received a full-ride scholarship to play ball at Grand Valley State University and to study fine arts. But her passion for all things art didn’t start there.
IMPORTANT THINGS HAPPEN AT HOME(PLATE)
Her love of drawing began as soon as she could hold a crayon. Animals were her muse. Instead of decorating the walls of her bedroom with posters of the hottest bands or celebrities, she fashioned her own wall art. Creating and cutting out animals and figures, she taped them to the walls so they could easily be moved around to act out the scenes of her imagination. Robbin’s parents recognized this talent early on and stepped up to the plate by continually stocking her with all the art supplies necessary to construct. A self-starter, Robbin was the driving force toward improvement, but her parents recognized a home run when they saw one and enrolled their young daughter into drawing classes on Michigan State University’s campus. It was her first exposure to formal teaching and it was a huge hit.
ALL IN HER WHEELHOUSE
By the time high school came around, Robbin was trying all media: painting, clay sculpting, photography and, of course, her love of drawing. After earning her BFA from Grand Valley, for 15 years, she was the official portrait artist for the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame where she would create the pencil portraits for new enshrines. To this day, all of the portraits remain on display at the Air Zoo Museum in Portage, Michigan. Concurrently, she opened her own sign shop in Lansing. For 21 years, she and her team created, built and installed dimensional and electrical signs. They also executed large format printing for banners, signs and vehicle graphics. She continues to spend her free time creating wildlife drawings and also is commissioned frequently for pet portraits. Bench strength got her onto the field, but her experience and expertise brought her to complete the winning team at CG Detroit.
