Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Ramirez.
Carlos, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am a Cuban born painter that was raised in Miami. My work is a visual blog of the world around me. I am an outdoors person, my work undoubtedly begins in nature. I am not interested in replicating nature, but rather recording my connection to it. I am drawn to its expanse, color and all-encompassing aspect that makes us feel small. I am looking to explore nature in its totality, not merely the visual aspect, but what it says to me.
Color is integral part of my work. Unlike many other painters I come from a fashion background, I designed for my own label Liancarlo for years. That experience coupled with having been raised in the tropics have shaped my perception and use of color.
My work plays the edge between abstraction and representational. Ink sketches within the work depicting leaves, petals, stones loosely reference nature, while the underlying structure and palette remain rooted in abstraction. This contrast between the recognizable and the obscure allows for the viewer to connect with the work on various levels.
I presently live and work in Santa Fe, out of an airy light-filled studio that looks out to the mountains.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My work is a visual record of the world around me; capturing those moments that have become rooted in my memory. I am not interested in replicating nature, but rather the bits and pieces that have struck a chord with me.
I tend to work large, starting with bold black ink sketches that reference organic shapes. I then obscure parts with multiple layers of broken color. I work back and forth in this manner developing a thick build-up of paint in some areas while others remain thin and open. Washes contrast with impasto and interplay with the loose drawings within the piece.
The essence of my work is exploring the beauty that is present in the natural world. In this process I take in what draws me to nature and bring it back to the canvas via my own voice.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
We have all heard the expression “follow your passion” and I have been lucky that I have been able to do that for most of my life. I would like to add to that though, because sometimes your passion has to “morph” into something that can be sold. We live in a world where we have to pay rent, buy groceries and put gas in our car. Our work has to have personal meaning for it to be fulfilling, but it also has to have a commercial aspect if we are going to have the freedom to continue to pursue it. As artist, we have to find that middle ground where we can enjoy and find a challenge in what we do as well as keep it viable in the marketplace.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work is in Atlanta at Pryor Fine Art, I am also in 6 other galleries around the country.
Contact Info:
- Address: 764 Miami Circle, Suite 132
- Website: carlosramirezart.com
- Instagram: carlosramirezstudio
- Facebook: carlosramirezstudio
Image Credit:
Carlos Ramirez
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