Update - summer 2023
After a long time planning, my little family and I have finally made the move to Córdoba, Spain!
It’s all very exciting! I will be working full-time on my science illustration work, and hopefully have more time to focus on my painting once again. I just need to get my studio sorted.
I am already feeling much more inspired, and have resumed my daily sketching habit, which had been long neglected during these last somewhat stressful months before the move.
A brief introduction
Hello! my name is Tobin Florio, and I’m a paintaholic. It was obvious to me from an early age, that if I were to fulfil my most burning desire, it would be to spend my life painting, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do ever since!
Both of my maternal grandparents were artists, and a great inspiration. As a child I loved to explore their studios, wonderful worlds of colour and intrigue, a feast for the eyes shared with my brother and sister, both of whom are also artists.
I studied fine art for only 2 years, during which time it became clear that I would have to find a commercial purpose for my creativity, so I went on to study Illustration and animation at University. I graduated in 1999, and began a promising career with a successful design company, but after some years the work became less creative, and the London life style became overbearing. So I took a risk, I resigned, packed my bags and left the country looking for inspiration.
I found it in Italy, where I set up a studio and spent a couple of years just about scraping a living from my art, hopping from cafe to cafe, bar to bar, exhibiting wherever I could and selling quite well. It was a promising start and one of my most prolific periods. A great experience.
I eventually settled in Norwich, just 30 miles from the village where I grew up. I became we, and we found a house and made a beautiful home. At the end of the garden I built myself a studio, custom made to fit my needs. A fantastic space which I tried to make use of as much as possible.
Shortly afterwards, we became three, and my time in the studio was mostly spent making glitter monsters and painting pebbles with my beautiful and magnificently messy daughter.
I’m pretty sure that once I am able to fully commit to painting again, I will have an eager and able assistant by my side!
‘We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars’ from the play, Lady Windermere’s fan, by Oscar Wilde. A common quote, and for good reason. For me it inspired the design above. It reminds me of life’s ups and downs, represented by the figures journeying in different directions, (though ultimately on the same path) and that a positive state of mind can make all the difference.
I chose to show this image specifically to touch on the subject of positivity, and the struggle it can sometimes be for an artist to stay on top of things, mentally. Historically, we’re a notoriously delicate bunch, and not much has changed over time.
I have found a little peace of mind in trying to understand why I paint, and in realising that it is not about the final outcome, which will probably never satisfy my own somewhat undefined expectations, but it is about being able to enjoy the moment, the process, being present and being able to say, ‘ok that’s not quite what I wanted to achieve, but I had fun doing it!’
Which leads me on to…
Painting commissions
In recent years I have found taking on commissions more of a stress than a pleasure. The truth is that they just don’t pay the bills. I don’t feel I can justify charging enough for my work.
I do still take on the occasional commission, but only if I’m inspired by the proposition, and if the client understands that these things take time..
I hope that in the coming years this may change, when my daughter is older and more independent, and when there is less mortgage left to pay, maybe I will feel more relaxed and able to paint more freely. Until then, I will just continue to try to enjoy the moment, to improve on my current ability and to re-grow my confidence.
Having said that, if you have something in mind that you think I would enjoy and don’t have a looming deadline, please feel free to drop me a line at Tobin@flozbox.com
Painting gallery | Sketchbook | Flozbox-science | contact: tobin@flozbox.com
Illustrations, figures and schematics for science publications, proposals, posters and presentations.. read more
A continual mission to achieve an ever evasive goal! Here are a few that came close
I like to make sure I have a sketchbook with me at all times, not only to practice and improve my observational drawing skills, but also to keep a visual diary of my life, to capture inspiring moments or moods that could otherwise slip by. I often find myself in places and situations which either inspire me or move me to record the moment for memories sake.
I’m over the moon to see that my daughter also enjoys sketching at any given opportunity! I love these bar sketches.
Update - summer 2023
After a long time planning, my little family and I have finally made the move to Córdoba, Spain!
It’s all very exciting! I will be working full-time on my science illustration work, and hopefully have more time to focus on my painting once again. I just need to get my studio sorted.
I am already feeling much more inspired, and have resumed my daily sketching habit, which had been long neglected during these last somewhat stressful months before the move.
If it’s my science illustration work you’re looking for, please visit www.flozbox-science.com
A continual mission to achieve an ever evasive goal! Here are a few that came close
I like to make sure I have a sketchbook with me at all times, not only to practice and improve my observational drawing skills, but also to keep a visual diary of my life, to capture inspiring moments or moods that could otherwise slip by. I often find myself in places and situations which either inspire me or move me to record the moment for memories sake.
Then of course there are those situations in which you find you have a spare 10 minutes or half an hour for some reason, maybe waiting for someone or something, which is more than enough time for some doodling fun!
I’m over the moon to see that my daughter also enjoys sketching at any given opportunity! I love these bar sketches.
A brief introduction
Hello! my name is Tobin Florio, and I’m a paintaholic. It was obvious to me from an early age, that if I were to fulfil my most burning desire, it would be to spend my life painting, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do ever since!
Both of my maternal grandparents were artists, and a great inspiration. As a child I loved to explore their studios, wonderful worlds of colour and intrigue, a feast for the eyes shared with my brother and sister, both of whom are also artists.
I studied fine art for only 2 years, during which time it became clear that I would have to find a commercial purpose for my creativity, so I went on to study Illustration and animation at University. I graduated in 1999, and began a promising career with a successful design company, but after some years the work became less creative, and the London life style became overbearing. So I took a risk, I resigned, packed my bags and left the country looking for inspiration.
I found it in Italy, where I set up a studio and spent a couple of years just about scraping a living from my art, hopping from cafe to cafe, bar to bar, exhibiting wherever I could and selling quite well. It was a promising start and one of my most prolific periods. A great experience.
I eventually settled in Norwich, just 30 miles from the village where I grew up. I became we, and we found a house and made a beautiful home. At the end of the garden I built myself a studio, custom made to fit my needs. A fantastic space which I tried to make use of as much as possible.
Shortly afterwards, we became three, and my time in the studio was mostly spent making glitter monsters and painting pebbles with my beautiful and magnificently messy daughter.
I’m pretty sure that once I am able to fully commit to painting again, I will have an eager and able assistant by my side!
Painting commissions
In recent years I have found taking on commissions more of a stress than a pleasure. The truth is that they just don’t pay the bills. I don’t feel I can justify charging enough for my work.
I do still take on the occasional commission, but only if I’m inspired by the proposition, and if the client understands that these things take time..
I hope that in the coming years this may change, when my daughter is older and more independent, and when there is less mortgage left to pay, maybe I will feel more relaxed and able to paint more freely. Until then, I will just continue to try to enjoy the moment, to improve on my current ability and to re-grow my confidence.
Having said that, if you have something in mind that you think I would enjoy and don’t have a looming deadline, please feel free to drop me a line!