Meet This Year’s Featured Resident Artist: Robin Dustin
This fall, Piper Shores is once again opening its doors to the community for the Annual Autumnal Equinox Resident Art Show, a celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and lifelong artistic expression.
Held on Saturday, September 19 from 1pm – 4pm at Piper Shores’ Oceanside campus in Scarborough, the event is free and open to the public. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore original artwork created by Piper Shores residents across a wide variety of mediums, including work by this year’s featured resident artist, Robin Dustin.
For Robin, creating has never been about mastering a single craft. It’s about remaining curious enough to keep learning the next one.
A Lifetime of Curiosity
Robin’s artistic journey began with a simple conversation. As she prepared to leave for college, she assumed she’d study to become a secretary. Instead, her father offered another alternative.
“That sounds really boring,” he told her. “Why don’t you take some craft classes?”
So, she did—and that simple suggestion changed the course of her life.
Robin immersed herself in weaving, ceramics, metalsmithing, welding, printmaking, and countless other disciplines while earning her BFA at Southern Illinois University before continuing her studies at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Over the years, she taught, explored new mediums, and developed a philosophy that has stayed with her throughout her career: never stop learning.
“I was really the first person there every day and the last one to leave,” Robin recalls. “I loved it.”
That curiosity has carried on through every stage of her life.
Beyond the studio, Robin even designed and built her own post-and-beam home in New Hampshire—a project that took nearly 25 years to complete and reflected the same patience, craftsmanship, and problem-solving that continues to define her creative work today.
Finding Beauty in the Unexpected
Although Robin has worked in many artistic mediums throughout her life, woodturning eventually became one of her greatest passions. What she enjoys most isn’t creating the same piece over and over again. It’s discovering what’s possible in each new piece of wood.
“I’ve never been a production turner,” she says. “Everything is going to be pretty much different.”
That philosophy is beautifully reflected in the two works featured at this year’s show.
One is an ambrosia maple salad bowl, created from a piece of wood many would have discarded. Marked by tiny ambrosia beetle trails and areas of natural decay, the bowl presented countless challenges before Robin strengthened it with turquoise epoxy accents, transforming those imperfections into something beautiful.
The second is a handcrafted rolling pin made from curly maple and Corian—a material more commonly found in kitchen countertops than fine woodworking. The piece began as an experiment to see whether two unexpected materials could be permanently joined together.
For Robin, solving those creative puzzles is part of the joy. Whether she’s uncovering hidden grain patterns or finding a new use for unconventional materials, every project becomes an opportunity to learn something new.
Still Learning at Piper Shores
Robin has called Piper Shores home since October 2021. She originally planned to move to another retirement community in New Hampshire, but one visit to Piper Shores changed everything.
“I came over here, saw the ocean—that was it,” she says.
Today, while eagerly awaiting the reopening of Piper Shores’ expanded woodshop, Robin has embraced yet another creative chapter.
In the meantime, she’s learning collage, experimenting with marquetry, and exploring new techniques through resident-led art classes. And once the woodshop is complete, she hopes to return to woodturning while sharing her knowledge by teaching fellow residents.
“I like teaching because it’s fun to see people improve,” she says.
It’s a fitting next chapter for someone whose creative life has always been defined by curiosity—not perfection.
Celebrate Creativity at Piper Shores
The Annual Autumnal Equinox Resident Art Show showcases the remarkable talents of Piper Shores residents while celebrating the role creativity plays in lifelong learning and healthy aging.
Visitors will have the opportunity to view artwork spanning a variety of mediums—from painting and photography to woodworking, ceramics, fiber arts, and more—while exploring the vibrant artistic community that continues to flourish at Piper Shores.
Be sure to stop by this year’s show to experience Robin Dustin’s remarkable work alongside dozens of original pieces created by fellow resident artists, and discover how creativity continues to inspire life at Piper Shores.