Can You Guess this Waitress’s Day Job? (Hint: It’s nowhere near a restaurant)

Photo credit: Lianne Dunsing Photography

Ronni Upsey-Robinson is serving way more than tonight’s dinner special. Sure, you may see her managing tables or help bus food at Volver on a busy Saturday night, but when she leaves the restaurant she trades her all-black uniform for a dusty pair of jeans and a work shirt. It’s time to create.

Upsey-Robinson works “a few gigs” to support her true passion: Art. She works from home, she works at the restaurant and then every spare minute left in her day she works in her art studio.

“The best part about working in the food industry are the people you encounter—those you work with become part of your family,” she says.

That’s where she met Alison Hangen. Hangen heads up Arts in the Industry, an organization that creates art shows for food industry professionals to network and showcase their work in restaurants and bars throughout the city.

“The later hours help when trying to pursue outside ambitions, like art, but it’s the flexibility that attracts most of us to this lifestyle,” she says. “You get to be financially independent while pursuing your dreams.”

With her flexible hours and non-stop hustle, Upsey-Robinson creates some of the most beautiful (and unique) pieces you’ll ever see. And with each crinkle, each leaf, each press into the plaster, there’s a story.

Lianne Dunsing Photography

Upsey-Robinson’s artwork is inspired by her mother-in-law, who even through battling cancer, has helped stock her art studio with plaster, clay and flowers to create the one-of-a-kind pieces.

“It was that kind of encouragement that forced me to focus more of my energy on what I love—which is the art of flowers,” she says.

Lianne Dunsing Photography

Each piece is created entirely by hand and can take anywhere from one day to several weeks from start to finish. The hardest part isn’t pouring plaster or smoothing out the edges, she says, it’s arranging each petal to leave the imprint she envisions in her mind. Each placement is purposeful, each is leaving a lasting impression.

Creating a lasting impression is all in the details—whether it’s a piece of art or brewed in one of America’s Favorite Beers. That’s why Blue Moon is proud to be served by professionals with a creative spirit and eye for artful detail.

For more on Blue Moon’s artfully crafted mission visit them online.