Rising Stars: Meet Robyn Albeke of Athens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Albeke.

Robyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Waxing Phoenix Virtual Gallery was created because of a promise that I made to my Mother before she passed away in 2022. She wanted me to return to the art world where I am truly happy. The concept was inspired by a favorite music artist that was generous enough to donate VIP concert tickets to a cancer fundraiser for my previous job. His concert was the first I had attended in over a decade. Being on the back lot of a venue again brought back a lot of happy memories. This particular artist has an incredible story himself & is dedicated to boosting the careers of lesser known music artists by bringing them in as openers for his concerts & festivals. It made me start thinking of ways that I could give back to the art community that shaped my life. WPG was designed to support all genres of the art world, artists of a skill levels are encouraged to submit work.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There was definitely a learning curve for me because I had never stepped into the Social Media scene. Just that aspect of it could be a full time job! Overall though, I would say WPG has been well received & is steadily growing on Instagram. Outside funding has, unfortunately, been impossible with all of the cuts that have been made in grants. WPG is currently funded by a very small amount of money from my Mother’s estate. It makes advertising difficult.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been in the arts since age 4. My Mother always made sure that I had dance & art classes. I was accepted into Davidson Fine Arts School in Augusta, Ga in 6th grade where I branched out into creative writing & photography as well. My arts education continued in the Lamar Dodd School of Art at UGA where I majored in photography. I am incredibly proud of the platform that I’m building for WPG. It’s not common to see a gallery that supports every branch of the arts. If you are a creative in ANY area & are interested in being a part of the gallery, I will find a way to make it work!

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love to travel into Atlanta for the museums, gardens & family events. I definitely do not handle the traffic as well as I used to though!

Pricing:

• There is NEVER an application fee!
• There is a $20 exhibitor’s fee for visual artists displaying pieces for sale in the 3D gallery.

Contact Info:

• Website: waxingphoenixgallery.com
• Instagram: waxingphoenixgallery

Image Credits
Bryant Perez, Ashley Perry-Cook, T.F. Burke, Susan Bagrationoff