UPDATED BLOG BIO!!

Robin Beth Armstrong (Seeber) born and raised in NJ, with two older brothers, moved with her family to Pennsylvania in 1974. With encouragement from her father, she attended nursing school and has been an RN for 19+yrs, taking a sabbatical from nursing last March to pursue her art. She has three grown children of her own, and three as a bonus from a second marriage. She became a gramma Seeber for the first time this past July.

Robin has always been involved with art and crafts from a tiny girl shadowing her mother in cub scouts and summer camp, to a Girl Scout leader and craft organizer for Girl Scout camps, woman’s clubs and school functions.

FAO Schwartz, of NYC carried robin’s first dolls called Lil’ Darlins, over 20yrs ago, in which several of them live worldwide. There were a total of 200 dolls made from that original pattern. They were a children’s doll, and govt. approved and tested for safety.

After a 7yr sabbatical from any creative outlet, robin is back (March 2007) with a new line of collectible dolls, called “Outside the Box Primitives”. As The Primitive Chandler, fondly named for the beeswax candle business that restarted the whole “crafty” thing, she felt a whimsical name was in order for the doll end of the business. “Without bees, I wouldn’t be here today”. A bumble bee is OTBP signature doll. They are her original pattern, made of osnaburg fabric and aged and detailed by hand with various acrylics, pastels, clay and sealers. The “tinies”, her small doll collection, measure just 8” over all, with button jointing for posing. “sometimes large dolls are more difficult to collect as they take up more decorating space, so the “tinies” were my solution, as they fit anywhere and can be even grouped together. They range in style from whimiscal and fairy tale, to gothic and macabre. “ One of my customers has collected over 120 dolls. “ Robin, on occasion creates larger dolls as well, measuring upwards of 25”. Clay has recently been introduced to venture into a new avenue for expression.

Robin has had several businesses over the years including Sentimental Silks, a silk wedding floral company, Country Peddlers a home party company, and the most recent past, Castlebrooke Originals, with a variety of arts and crafts in the Peters Township, Washington County area of Pennsylvania.

Robin began selling her OTBP dolls on ebay about two years ago, and that is where Ashton Drake Galleries discovered Robin. They found her work to be “incredible” and asked if she would be interested in working with them. Robin is presently awaiting a project.

Art Doll Quarterly, published one of Robin's flying witch dolls in their 2008 fall issue. Tansy Tormental proudly introduces "Parade of Witches" article on the title page, pg.39.

Soft Doll and Animals magazine contacted Robin and asked to do a full feature article on her dolls since the editor loved them so much. All the information and photographs have been sent in and received. 12 photos were used and many of Robin's customers will have dolls published in that magazine for May 09!
Soft Doll and Animals magazine recently published two more of Robin's dolls in their Dec/Jan issue 09.

Such companies as Enesco, and ECS, have also been very interested in her work for overseas production, but at this time Robin wants to keep the dolls one of a kind, original and hand made by her personally.

Robin has always dreamt of living on a small farm with a “view to a horse pasture”. She realized that dream just 9yrs ago, and has 5 horses viewable from her studio window. She also enjoys the company of 4 dogs, too many cats, and various farm vermin, all a true inspiration for her work.
She lives on her farm with her husband of 4yrs, Dr. Roger Seeber, a biology professor at West Liberty State University, West Liberty, West Virginia.