"OUR WOMEN OF SANDWICH"
(2020 Summer Virtual Exhibit)
ROBIN DUSTIN
~ Robin turning one of her beautiful bowls ~
Photo by Susan Lirakis
Robin celebrated her 80th birthday in February 2020, and what a life to celebrate! Born to a Sandwich native daughter, Emily Thompson Heard and Robert Gale Dustin of Boscawen, NH, Robin grew up mostly in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Paducah, KY, following Bob’s work for the Carbide Corporation as the head of their drafting department. Her lifelong practice in the arts was sparked by Southern Illinois University coursework in weaving, ceramics, metalsmithing, painting, printmaking and welding. In 1967, she acquired a Master of Fine Arts degree at Cranbrook Academy of Art, focused on weaving and metal-working. Early work life included teaching Art History at the University of Dubuque, helping to develop a fine arts department at the University of South Dakota, and teaching weaving at a private craft school in New York City.
A colorful foray into entrepreneurship was her carpentry, painting, and moving company start-up business in New York, called the Gorilla Girls. Early on, Robin says, she knew nothing about carpentry but did know how to approach spacial problem-solving with tools and materials. This openness to tackling unfamiliar problems has served her well through life’s challenges.
A colorful foray into entrepreneurship was her carpentry, painting, and moving company start-up business in New York, called the Gorilla Girls. Early on, Robin says, she knew nothing about carpentry but did know how to approach spacial problem-solving with tools and materials. This openness to tackling unfamiliar problems has served her well through life’s challenges.
In 1978, after nine years surviving the urban crunch of NYC, it was time for a move, and after considering several locales, Robin settled on Sandwich, where her parents had lived full-time since 1971. Accustomed to living the frugal life of an artist, Robin house-sat for Laveracks, O’Briens and Vittums. With local jewelry artist Pam Hitchcock, they opened a weaving and jewelry shop, and she started the Hand and Eye craft workshop and gallery with Robert Wright. Robin continued her carpentry trade as the only female member of Van Adriance’s construction company, along with other Sandwich woodworkers Ben Bullard, David Burns, and Toby Eaton.
In 1982, Robin and her father harvested pines on her building lot on family land, and with help from carpenter/builder colleagues, like Rich Benton, Bob Butcher, Barry Darling, John Enright, and Rob Wright, just to name a few, she built her own wood-frame house over a period of 25 years. She incorporated elaborate custom building, design, and decoration into the highly personal Arts and Crafts-style structure in concert with friend and housemate Gale Christensen.
In 2007, Robin found her passion for wood-turning on a lathe and has pursued this craft at a high level of skill ever since by taking week-long workshops from nationally renowned wood-turning artists, selling her turned wood pieces through local gallerist Patsy Carega, as well as privately to clients, friends, and other admirers. She has passed on some of her skills by teaching several beginning turners.
In 2007, Robin found her passion for wood-turning on a lathe and has pursued this craft at a high level of skill ever since by taking week-long workshops from nationally renowned wood-turning artists, selling her turned wood pieces through local gallerist Patsy Carega, as well as privately to clients, friends, and other admirers. She has passed on some of her skills by teaching several beginning turners.
Robin’s commitment to her community runs deep and long. Highlights of her civic service include Sandwich Industries Board of Directors, Town Planning Board, Historic District Commission, a brief stint on the Budget Committee, the Garden Gnomes, and numerous ad hoc activities such as performing with the Sandwich Players and organizing the first few Artisans on the Green craft shows during Old Home Week.
A critically important contribution to town was her work at the Sandwich Historical Society, which began with a stint as a greeter in the early 1990’s. With her usual thoroughness, Robin immersed herself in local history, becoming quite knowledgeable about her home town. Staffing shortages at SHS resulted in a request by retiring Director Ginger Heard that Robin consider taking on the jobs of Director and Curator, as Suzita Myers was also stepping down from that job. Always game for a challenge, Robin agreed to step in, and started by reading the minutes of all board meetings, starting in 1919. Major organizational strides under her direction included cataloguing the entire collection by number, location, and description, in the newly acquired DOS computer system. She regenerated interest in the Boston Cane Award to the oldest Sandwich resident and acquired a stock of canes to guarantee continuity into the future.
Perhaps most important, Robin jump-started and oversaw the long-projected publication in 1995 of the 334-page tome of the History of Sandwich, coordinating a crackerjack team of local talent including Patricia Heard, Jane Beckman, Bob Miner, Ginger Heard, Caroline Snyder, Bruce Montgomery, Shirley Elder Lyons, Letitia O’Neil, William Wallace, Margery Wheeler, and Jim O’Neil among others.
Perhaps most important, Robin jump-started and oversaw the long-projected publication in 1995 of the 334-page tome of the History of Sandwich, coordinating a crackerjack team of local talent including Patricia Heard, Jane Beckman, Bob Miner, Ginger Heard, Caroline Snyder, Bruce Montgomery, Shirley Elder Lyons, Letitia O’Neil, William Wallace, Margery Wheeler, and Jim O’Neil among others.
Robin’s most recent gift to Sandwich may be the beautiful Town Hall daylily and heather plantings the Quimby Trust asked her to save. With partner-in-crime Gale Christensen, she dug up hundreds of lilies infested with invasive bishop weed, created a nursery for the lilies over an entire summer season to insure weed-free bulbs, and replanted them in beautiful groupings which she and Gale continue to maintain carefully for the enhancement of Quimby Park.
Robin is a model of a small-town citizen who cares about keeping the town functioning and looking beautiful. She is a caring and dependable friend and family member, known and cherished by many folks. Sandwich is lucky to have her.
Helen Ingalls, friend
August 2020
Robin is a model of a small-town citizen who cares about keeping the town functioning and looking beautiful. She is a caring and dependable friend and family member, known and cherished by many folks. Sandwich is lucky to have her.
Helen Ingalls, friend
August 2020
My first memory of meeting Robin was in the 70's. She was a long-time friend of my father, and I remember visiting her on vacations and later as a student at the University of Maine, I would drive down and spend time with her, which was always a special treat for me as there were lots of projects, and I never went home empty-handed! ~ We all have women in our life who collectively shape who we are ... Robin has always been one of those very special women in my life! Thank you Robin.
Jennifer Wright, friend
August 2020
Jennifer Wright, friend
August 2020
