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	story Heather Brissenden   photographs Steve Uhraney Hollingdrake’s two-storey Mississauga home is an intoxicating indulgence of colour as her walls are adorned with her original works of art. Bold, bright and beautiful acrylic paintings have become Hollingdrake’s trademark. Her vibrant pieces, measuring up to seven feet tall, hang in her living room, kitchen, bedrooms and hallways. Let your mind drift for a moment and you might even think you are in a private European art gallery - perhaps a little hidden gem in Barcelona. European fantasies aside, Hollingdrake would rather be exactly where she is, right at home in Mississauga. After all, it’s the city where she has lived for most of her life. It’s the place where she was raised and has cultivated her unique career in the arts. “Overall, I love living in Mississauga. I need to live in a big space,” explains Hollingdrake. “There’s a lot of opportunity here. I can hop on the GO Train if I want to be downtown Toronto. This fall, for example, I did just that as my artwork was featured in the silent auction at the Hearts for Pakistan fundraiser at the Gladstone Hotel on October 18.” I was lucky to catch up with the busy artist for an informal interview over ginger snaps and tiramisu tea this fall. We curled up on her comfy couch as she revealed the secrets to her prolific artistic career. “Do a little every day. Start small and keep going. To be honest, I don’t take myself too seriously.” Although Hollingdrake might not take herself too seriously, prominent figures in the professional arts world certainly do. At the present moment Robin’s works can be seen in the commercial gallery at the Burlington Art Centre. She was also recently selected to create an “en plein air” painting at the Art Gallery of Mississauga’s golf fundraiser this past September.  Rob Freeman, executive director of the Art Gallery of Mississauga, describes Robin’s unique gift as an artist. “Robin is an established artist, yet still remains innovative and creative. Her art practice encompasses a wide range of expression and media. Although she is most identified with her large abstract canvasses, she continues to create works in the more traditional styles. She has become a true friend of the AGM and is always willing to lend her support and share her talent for gallery events.” Born into a creative family with an artistic mother, Hollingdrake was raised in Port Credit. An art scholarship led to years of study at the Ontario College of Art and Design as well as Sheridan College. She dabbled in pottery for ten years but is now focused on her blossoming career as a painter. Throughout her life, she has maintained a disciplined painting regimen. Through good times and challenging times, Hollingdrake cites her work ethic and perseverance as the secrets to her success. “I didn’t choose art. Art chose me. I can honestly say I never went through a period of doubt. You just keep recycling old ideas to come up with new ones. I love to paint, because it is an expression of emotion,” she explains. “Paintings are colour and energy…and they feed back energy to their viewer. They capture emotion on a flat surface…That’s the thrill and the charge behind my work.” GL