A woman of words and art

October 10, 2018 by Elenora Easterly Edwards

Softspoken.

Yes, it’s a term that anyone who knows her would agree is true of Betsy Robinson.

Ah, but she is a bundle of creativity and Clinton lore and easy humor.

Betsy, a strong member of Timely Topics Club, has produced several drawings that have been adapted for note cards, and they will be for sale during the Fall Antique Festival Friday and Saturday in Clinton.

Betsy started helping her mother, who had a sewing shop, when she was a girl, doing handwork and helping cuff men’s trousers for the old Sturm’s and Samuel’s stores in Oak Ridge.

Then she began to draw with pencils. One of her first drawings was of India’s Prime Minister Nehru. Then she took up drawing in charcoal.

And when Annette Lewallen, a teacher and wife of Mayor W.E. Lewallen, saw what Betsy could do, she bought the young woman an art set that included oils, pastels and watercolors. So Betsy is self-taught in several media and turns out exquisite pieces of art.

After trial and error, she devised a circular method of hand-stitching, which prevented her having to pull out and redo stitches.

Oh, and along the way, she added photography.

Two of her photos were printed a few months ago in a newspaper in a neighboring county.

A Rhea County native, Betsy lived in three or four towns and communities before her mother, Georgia Kay Jackson, and Raymond Willis Robinson, married and settled in Clinton. She graduated from Clinton High School, where she played trombone in the band.

Betsy has traveled in the Southeast to show her handiwork, but also for swimming in the Senior Olympics. She began that at about age 50.

At the festival, her notecards will be sold to benefit causes to which Timely Topics contributes, such as college scholarships. She has served as historian for Timely Topics, chairman of Garden Group Two, and provides artwork for the yearbook and social events.

Betsy’s friends in the club celebrated her 80th birthday with her recently. “Timely Topics gives me an opportunity to meet and work with other women who give their very best for the club and the aims of the community,” she said. And, she added, she gets to hear speakers on various “timely topics” that she wouldn’t get to hear otherwise.