Robin Sparks is a writer and photographer whose articles seek to increase inter-cultural understanding and acceptance of differences. Robin teaches the art of storytelling in workshops around the world. Her love of writing, travel, and teaching make for dynamic, life-changing classes.
Background:
Robin’s stories and photographs have been published in hundreds of magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and online magazines. She began her professional life in the 80’s as a human interest newspaper photographer in Denver, Colorado. While at the paper, Robin’s photographs were chosen for inclusion in the 1994 Best of Photography Annual , the Black River Publishing Company 1996 Calendar Series, and first place in the annual Washington D.C. based Caring Institute Photo Contest. Ninety of Robin Sparks’s Nevada landscapes were purchased for permanent display in the Carson Valley Medical Center in Gardnerville, Nevada and in South Lake Tahoe, California. Last year two of Robin’s photos were chosen for inclusion the photo coffeetable books “Friends” and “Family” published by M.I.L.K.
Robin is a former travel columnist for the Reno Gazette-Journal and Metro Magazine in Bangkok, Thailand. This past year Robin has served as acting editor and columnist of the online magazine, EscapeArtist.com.
She is currently writing a book about her nine year global search for a new country – an oddysey which led her to London, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Brazil, Turkey, Argentina, and beyond.
Publications which have featured Robin’s stories and photographs about travel and life as a foreigner abroad have appeared in
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE ESCAPEARTIST.COM
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
METRO MAGAZINE, BANGKOK
YANKEE MAGAZINE
EXCURSIONS-inflight magazine for airlines
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
ADVENTURE WEST MAGAZINE
GUIDEPOSTS MAGAZINE
THE WORLD & I
WOMAN’S WORLD MAGAZINE
WOMEN’S SPORTS& FITNESS
NEVADA MAGAZINE
CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY ALUMNI MAGAZINE
SPANISH TEXTBOOK
CARSON VALLEY MEDICAL GROUP BROCHURE
CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY
CURRENT HEALTH MAGAZINE
MIDWEST MOTORIST MAGAZINE
CARING PEOPLE MAGAZINE
BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL(Book)
PUBLISHING PHOTOGRAPHER
RANGE MAGAZINE
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO? Computer CD
TAHOE DAILY TRIBUNE
COLORADO WOMEN’S MAGAZINE
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
Awards and Shows:
Photograph published in Got Milk’s 1999 Best Photos Book
1st place in NEVADA Magazine’s annual photo contest, published November, 1996;
Winner of National Caring Award 2 years, photos on display in CARING Museum in Washington D.C.
Photograph chosen and published in BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL. 1st Place for Black River Publishing Company annual photo contest, photo published in 1996 calendar. 85 prints purchased and put on permanent display in Gardnerville (Nevada) Medical Center
Education:
B.A. in Sociology with a focus on World Studies completed during a semester abroad in Kathmandu, Nepal. Galveston Arts Center, photography Studied with photojournalists Eugene Richards, Jim Blair, David Alan Harvey, and Nevada Weir at the Maine Photography Workshop and the Sante Fe Photography Workshop.
Personal Information:
Robin is based in Istanbul, Turkey – “in the middle” as she puts it, “of the undeclared war between the Middle East and the West”. Robin is an avid reader, traveler, adventurer, teacher, speaker, outdoorswoman, people lover, diversity-seeker, warm weather fiend, lover of culture and beauty, and tall teller of the tales that celebrate differences and intercultural understanding.
