Features creative endeavors of Gigi Robinson
The Grand Junction public library will host a special program, “The Art, Crafts and Collectibles of Virginia ‘Gigi’ Robinson,” on Sunday, May 24, at 3 pm at the library. The event is a fundraiser to support the library’s centennial programming in 2016.
Virginia Robinson served for many years on the GJ public library board of directors. She was chairperson of the board when the new library was built at 106 East Main St in Grand Junction in 1990. She was known as “Gigi” to her close friends and family.
The program will be presented by her children, Lillian Robinson of Blue Earth, MN, and Alan Robinson of Grand Junction. They will showcase the many artistic and creative endeavors of their mother, a New York City native who came to Grand Junction in 1945 as the “war bride” of Ralph Robinson, a hometown boy who met Virginia while serving in the U.S. Navy in Brooklyn, NY. Ralph just celebrated his 90th birthday in November. Virginia passed away in 2003.
Virginia took up knitting as a girl in New York. As a young wife and mother in Grand Junction, she supervised craft projects for children as a Cub Scout den mother and 4-H leader. When her children were older, she took up ceramics and then oil painting. She also was able to express her artistic flair while working at Cudahy Paint and Decorating Store in Jefferson in the early 1960s.
Her knack for color and design then served her well as an employee of Oblinger’s clothing stores and later as owner of her own gift shop, Control Central Cards & Things, both in Grand Junction. Her shop on Main Street featured floral arrangements and plants along with greeting cards and gift items. Virginia designed her own arrangements using fresh flowers and silk floral materials. These were very popular with her customers.
Upon retirement in the 1980s, she shifted her focus to quilting and transformed a bedroom in her home to a “quilting room.” Many of her lovely quilts will be featured at the library event in addition to her oil paintings, ceramics and some of her collectibles.
Virginia’s children will present a brief program on her art, crafts and collectibles. Many of the items will be available for purchase. Refreshments will be served by the library board members. A free will offering will be taken.
Any profits from the sale of Virginia’s art and crafts and funds from the free will offering will be used to support programming for the 2016 centennial celebration of the Grand Junction public library.
