1969 - Raya was 16 when she embraced a personal goal; to live fully as the Artist she knew herself to be, adding the challenging concept of Earning as she Learns! To continuously grow her abilities and expertise, while consistently expressing her creative visions with greater strength and focus. Not always easy to do, there were periodic struggles and hard choices along the way.
This Artist has a creative talent that flows freely. Harnessing that source of creativity in one direction was not always easy. A willingness to take leaps of faith throughout Raya's career has tended to pay off.
With her mandate to Earn while she Learns, Raya started out in 1972 as a Jewelry Designer. Raya's career and abilities consistently grew and expanded. Her final jewelry work was at Circle Fine Arts - Jewelry Division. Working alongside other highly trained jewelry designers and model makers, they continued developing the "Art to Wear Collection" of the famed Art Deco Artist, Erte'. During the last 2 years of Erte's life, Raya worked on the technically complicated modeling process of turning his designs into a piece of gorgeous jewelry. She also was assigned to create new jewelry designs, with detailed colored renditions; using details from Erte's amazing clothing, prints and other of his Art Deco works. If he approved a design, he would sign it, making it his. The Book, "Erte' - Art to Wear Collection" was published just before Raya left the Company.
1992 – It was desperation and a leap of faith, that created new opportunity’s for Raya's dream of a career with Fine Art painting. Raya began working with numerous National and International Art Dealers, this continued until 2009. The Art Dealers would review Raya's portfolios or make appointments for studio visits, They would pick and choose from the various creative directions Raya was developing. Buying those paintings; they Showed and Sold Raya's work primarily in North America but also other parts of the world.
Moving to Santa Fe NM in 1998 increased opportunities for Raya's search of creative freedom. She plunged into an explosion of color. Exploring different medias and stylistic approaches of favorite subjects. She began painting with artists friends, Raya began several years of Plein-air excursions. Long hours in the studio of intense creative sessions are where you would find Raya in those days. IF you were invited in! As the demands for her paintings grew, she hired part time studio assistants to stretch canvas and pack her Art for shipments.
Raya's hard work afforded her several trips to Europe in the 1990's. Primarily France, where she took several sabbaticals, studying and painting the Impressionists and falling in love with the Post-Impressionist painter Edouard Vuillard's paintings, his use of space, and patterns. Workshops painting in Monet's Garden. And renting a small apartment outside of Moret-sur-Loring for several months was a remarkable time of relaxing and taking leaps with her landscapes. Later in 2006, Raya was accepted to an Artist Residency at Centre d'Art Contemporain Cat'Art, France where she began working ideas for abstracting the landscape using Patterns.
In the Early 2000's; A combination of health issues and a "tired burnt-out heart" had Raya once again to taking a leap of faith. She expanded into the empty studio next to her current and cramped one. Here, in this new space, she took time to work on large and deeply personal paintings. Peeling back and looking within, searching for healing and acceptance. One of these paintings was shown in the 2004 Annual Friends of Contemporary Art in Santa Fe. The painting was so large she had to hire a truck to carry it to and from the downtown Lewallen Gallery.
A significant number of Raya's early to mid-career Art were sold during 1992 and 2009. After the housing and stock market crashes her business relationships with Art Dealers took a hard hit as they retired or seriously downsized. Raya dusted off her early training on How to Survive as a Starving Artist (jeweler) and put that knowledge to use. Raya turned to the local Santa Fe Art Market and found herself embracing the luxurious opportunity to paint whatever she wanted! As soon as a painting was dry, she would "hall it into town" and hang it in her art booth. She found after 17years painting in the studio, she had missed connecting with people who loved her art enough to buy it for themselves. And, the feedback they could give to her.
Raya was working primarily in oils, with some smaller works on paper with gouache and mixed medias. Working in smaller formats, for the visiting art buyers. Raya was able to experiment and reach new creative understandings, stretching herself rapidly with varied approaches to brush work. Mastering mixing of her paints intensified. She took a new look at the early modernist painters works who had visited and painted in New Mexico.
The Covid-19 Isolation presented Raya with a desire to step out of her normal flow of painting, and she finished 2 midsize canvases in oils. Entering them in on-line competitions. One abstract “Fractured – but still dancing”” won a CAGO award for Social Commentary in the 2020 Abstract competition. The next “In the time of Covid” was a finalist for Artivita. Raya normally does not paint for competitions, but she had the time and strong vision of what she wanted to express on her canvas. The Isolation also presented Raya with the need to review and reassess her life. For decades She had maintained a practice of tossing her sales receipts and other ephemeral material into boxes, she now had the time to unpack them. It took Raya months of sorting and organizing. Astonished! she had sold over 6,000 original paintings (likely more…but these are recorded) during her Career as a Painter. This was a moment for the Artist. She is still reviewing and understanding the arc of her own Artistic evolution. Steps toward creating an accessible Archive for future reference has begun and will hopefully continue for years to come.
Raya continues to paint! Using all the depth of her experiences, she is looking towards the next mature” phase of her life Painting.
This Artist has plans!
Statement
ARTIST STATEMENT
Creating art is my conversation with the wider world. Throughout my long career I have maintained this youthful mandate - to earn as I learn. My creative efforts have propelled the exploration of not only the wider world but of my own inner places.
My creativity is free flowing. Learning is addictive. There's ALWAYS something exciting for me to learn, perhaps master, then incorporate into my creativity. Finding the next new "something" that expands my creative understanding of the world...feeds my soul.
Harnessing myself to a specific Style, Technique and Medium can quickly become an unhealthy chore. Making the happy discovery that if I allow myself to play creatively within that "harness", I can maintain my creative flow. *see the example below. So, I can make the Art that supports my daily existence, my studio, and most importantly my future creativity.
PRIMARILY SELF-EDUCATED, I trained myself to create artwork in SERIES. Using defined parameters; each unique painting was shifted, just enough, for me to explore many varied approaches. Yet all art within a Series maintaining my initial vision. Long studio hours included continuous explorations for the next Series. The thrill of exploring new techniques and styles, for the next evolution of my art and vision became essential.
I finally recognized myself. I am a CREATIVE EXPANSIONIST.
* EXAMPLE, DEVELOPING A SERIES.
The Apple!
With 10 or more medium sized surfaces to paint on (to small can cramp your movement of expression, and BIG will bog you down and cost a lot in materials). Gather all the materials you have to work with….and IT"S PLAYTIME!!
Consider how many ways you could make the Apple (oh and let's have some serious fun and add a banana!). These 2 objects will be the significant aspect of every painting you are going to create. And with every Apple painting, do you add abstraction? Realism? Some other "ism or "tion"? Or a combination? Play with perspective and composition, are they falling off the painting? Are they all you see? My eyes are blurring!.. Maybe it's only the shadow of them? Play!!! Add a new color? Outrageous colors? Oh! The water has spilt! Look there…! Add a new technical application, brushwork, your fingers… WHATEVER! Do you have enough contrast? Where is the balance? Do you even need balance? Are you so disgusted you start to paint over it? But wait a second! That area is Interesting…how can I use that? And on and on. The Apple (and maybe the banana) gets a real work-out!... So does Your CREATIVITY.
You are in conversation with your painting and your inner creative self.
ABOUT MAINTAINING A SERIES
Review the many ways you have painted the Apple. What works for you and what does not. Start working with a new series, painting with what worked using something more intersting to you. Can you duplicate it? And where can you make those "shifting" changes, within each new painting, making it fresh and more interesting for you to as you continue to paint!
Then bored and abit exhusted, take what you have learned and do it again with a subject that is closer to your heart and love. Repeatedly, always making interesting shifts that are pleasing for you.
Paint a few hundred of them and you will have SOMETHING that works for you and just might intrigue your adoring fans.
Then start to develop a focus and a new Expansive Series…..
Formal CV
NOTE: Information from 1991 - 1972 still to added.
2021 - PAINTING IN THE STUDIO, Santa Fe NM
MEMBER SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS
2020 - EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
MEMBER SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS
2019 - EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth, Santa Fe NM
2018 - EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL- Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth
2017 - EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL- Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth, Santa Fe NM
2016 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth Santa Fe N
ARTIST IN RESIDENT AT INN OF THE LORETTO, Santa Fe NM
NEW MEXICAN ARTISANS, May 16 - El Dorado Hotel, Santa Fe, NM
2015 - RAYA'S BACA STREET ART GALLERY & STUDIO, Santa Fe, NM
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth Santa Fe N
ARTIST IN RESIDENT AT INN OF THE LORETTO, Santa Fe NM
2014 - WILDE MEYER GALLERY Scottsdale AZ
THINK ART, Scottsdale, AZ
RAYA'S BACA STREET ART GALLERY & STUDIO, Santa Fe, NM
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
SANTA FE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS - Art Booth Santa Fe N
ARTIST IN RESIDENT - AT INN OF THE LORETTO, Santa Fe NM
2013 - THINK ART, Scottsdale AZ -
RAYA'S BACA STREET ART GALLERY & STUDIO, Santa Fe, NM
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
2012 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL - Art booth, Santa Fe NM
THE SANTA FE SOUTHSIDE FLEA MARKET - Art booth Santa Fe, NM
2011 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
EL MUSEO EXHIBITION HALL Art booth, Santa Fe NM
THE SANTA FE SOUTHSIDE FLEA MARKET - Art booth Santa Fe, NM
2010 - WILDE MEYER GALLERY. Scottsdale AZ
PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
ASSORTED SHOWS, Art booth, Santa Fe NM
2009 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
THINK ART, Scottsdale, AZ
2008 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto, CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
2007 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
SKIERS EDGE SUMMER SHOWCASE, Santa Fe NM
RICK HUNT (of old ART'S ALIVE) Scottsdale AZ
2006 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
RICK HUNT (of old ART'S ALIVE) Scottsdale AZ
CARSON ART GALLERY, Dallas TX
AURA DEZ FINE ART, Santa Fe NM
2005 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
CARSON ART GALLERY, Dallas TX
AURA DEZ FINE ART, Santa Fe NM
SELBY FLEETWOOD GALLERY, Santa Fe NM
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
2004 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
CARSON ART GALLERY, Dallas TX
SELBY FLEETWOOD GALLERY, Santa Fe NM
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
2003 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
CARSON ART GALLERY, Dallas TX
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
2002 - PROGRESSIVE FINE ART, Toronto CAN
WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
CARSON ART GALLERY, Dallas TX
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
2001 - WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
CHALKFARM, London, England
SLAYMAKER FINE ART, Chicago IL
EATON FINE ARTS, San Francisco CA
RUNNING RIDGE ART GALLERY, Santa Fe NM
2000 - WILDE MEYER GALLERY, Scottsdale AZ
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
EATON FINE ARTS, San Francisco CA
A.I.L. ART GROUP, Dallas TX
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
1999 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
A.I.L. ART GROUP, Dallas TX
RAY STOCK FINE ART, Denver CO
STEVEN WEBB FINE ART, Andrews NC
1998 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1997 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1996 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1995 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1994 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1993 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
1992 - ART'S ALIVE, Scottsdale AZ
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