About Robyn Caley
Robyn is a self-taught artist who grew up in and around Bedford and has lived in the town centre for many years. She enjoys creating detailed illustrations of buildings in watercolour and ink pen, and also has a vibrant collection of botanical prints.
Read more below, or listen to her guest appearance on The Paint Pod podcast, where she chats with artist and podcaster Sarah Hodgkins about chemistry, craft fairs and creativity.
Background
Having always enjoyed drawing, she challenged herself to draw every day in 2019, trying many different subjects and media. She discovered a love for ink and watercolour and found her subject in buildings, particularly pubs.
She continues to draw almost daily.
In October 2020, Robyn had 3 paintings featured at The Quarry Theatre’s ‘Lockdown Exhibition’ for local amateur and professional artists. This inspired her to offer house portraits to friends; business took off and she continues to take on private commissions, and sells prints and original paintings at Bedfordshire art fairs.
Robyn usually paints at home from photos, and occasionally outside with Bedford Urban Sketchers. She finds that ‘looking up’ above shops in the town centre reveals a wonderful variety of architectural styles, an endless supply of interesting subjects to paint!
Made by Humans
I love drawing buildings and often think about how their elaborate construction differentiates us as a species. We make buildings, for so many purposes, we make them like elaborate nests – to live in, to work in, for practical usage and frivolous reasons, to show off, symbols of utility, symbols of wealth, we make them, we make or modify the things they’re made of. They have an air of permanence, we feel safe in them. They wouldn’t exist without humans and will gradually disappear after humans, something I find comforting.
For the Made by Humans exhibition (organised by the Circus of Illustration, January 2026), I chose 3 paintings that show the wide variety in what humans build:
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona – A3, watercolour & ink, 2025
Designed by Gaudi in an art nouveau or Modernisme architectural style, this elaborate Catholic church is predominantly made of stone. Construction commenced in 1882 and is still ongoing 143 years later. An enormous project that has continued through generations.
Stewartby Brickworks – A3, watercolour & ink, 2025
Built from bricks to make bricks to build with. Established in 1926, it was once the world’s largest brickworks, producing 500 million bricks a year and employing 2000 people. It ceased operation in 2008 and despite being an iconic local landmark, has since been demolished.
Lurke Street Multi-Storey Car Park, Bedford – A3, watercolour & ink, 2023
A reinforced concrete utilitarian structure, constructed in 1966. Quick and cost-effective to build, with no historical significance. No frivolity or elaborate features, simply built for purpose.