Laguna artist launches hand-painted shoes for young girls
Stu News Laguna April 20, 2021
Robin Hiers creates unique, hand-painted shoes for girls 4 to 10
By Denny Freidenrich
Like hundreds of Laguna artists, Robin Hiers has had to pivot during COVID. In addition to her paintings and, yes, surfboards that hang in the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art (LGOCA) near Main Beach, Hiers has been busy selling hand-painted pandemic masks, greeting cards, caps, and more on her commercial website (Etsy Shop RobinHiers Art).
As expected, most images depict her signature bikini-clad models celebrating the Southern California lifestyle, complete with glasses of champagne in hand. As Hiers is fond of saying, “They’re my personal trademark.”
Photo by Denny Freidenrich
Second grader Genevieve says, “When I’m bigger, like in 3rd or 4th grade, I’ll still want to wear Robin’s shoes”
“I grew up in Laguna when my parents owned galleries, so making art has been my life since I was a little girl,” Hiers adds.
“Today, many of my commissioned paintings hang in homes from Newport to Palm Beach and many points in between. Designing beautiful and sassy COVID masks, for example, has been my way of coping with our unimaginable turn of events.”
Now that millions of people are being vaccinated, and with her unbridled hope for happier days ahead, Hiers has found a new way to celebrate life. She is creating hand-painted shoes for girls ages four to 10.
“These shoes are an extension of my interest in fashion. Being the mother of two grown daughters, I always was on the lookout for unique things for them to wear when they were young,” she says.
Photo by Denny Freidenrich
Artist Robin Hiers with one of her surfboards and Genevieve, 8, wearing her new, hand-painted shoes
“I guess you could say the shoes I’m designing now are a way for mothers everywhere to both embrace and celebrate the Southern California lifestyle with their girls,” the artist adds.
How can your daughter show off her new Robin Hiers-designed shoes? It’s simple. Contact Hiers to set up a time to deliver your new shoes to LGOCA, and she’ll take it from there. While her paintings and surfboards range in prices from $1,500 to $5,000, the popular artist is open to discussing the price of her one-of-a-kind pairs of shoes.
The Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art is located at 611 S Coast Hwy (near the intersection of Legion and Coast Hwy). Because Hiers can often be found painting at the gallery most Wednesdays and Thursdays, please email her at robinnoelart@gmail.com to arrange a meeting time. LGOCA is owned by Laguna local Bridgette Shaw.