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Ravay Snow Ravay Snow Medium(s):   acrylic   mixed media   pen & ink Contact Info:    Web: www.ravaysnow.com Artist Statement I find that writing an artist's statement is like expecting a dream to conform to geometry. So please take that into account in this description of my mission and my current work, which I feel is best described as amplified rhythmic realism. The influence of realism is clear in my subject matter and treatment. I work primarily from a strong understanding of the realistic form, and delight in the beauty of the animal and natural kingdoms. Each piece is based on direct observation. However, I attempt to amplify the effect of the real in several ways. Once the initial image is laid down, I add many, many layers of material, ranging from semi-transparent glazes to thick, chunky opaque paints, often using a saturated color palette. I continue this work until my pieces acquire a depth, rhythm, and variety of textures, shapes, and brushwork that I find pleasing. To some small extent I find this complexity reflective of the variability of life itself. I do not stop working on a piece until the subject feels fully rounded and appears to live and breathe. From a distance of 8 -10 feet. my pieces read almost photo-realistically, to the extent that many casual viewers assume that they are digitally-manipulated photographs (they are not). From this distance, the work appears extremely realistic and almost three-dimensional. From farther away, the rhythms between positive and negative spaces and flatter and more three-dimensional areas become more apparent; it's clearer that the piece is a two-dimensional creation with scattered areas of illusory depth. This is emphasized as well by specific brushwork, augmented color choices, and other small painterly details, which are all more apparent from a closer vantage point. The tension among all of these elements result in an energetic push-pull of the viewer between perceived verisimilitude and something else--something more rhythmic, colorful, dynamic, and alive. I invite you, as the viewer, to participate! Currently my work is inspired by the animal and natural kingdoms.		Member Profile: I have been an artist for my entire life, drawing and painting the whole time that I was a child and teen, and finally emerging from the College of William and Mary in Virginia with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts. In college, I focused on watercolor, and, since then, I have managed art galleries, written and illustrated several books (including "Hildegarde and the Great Green Shirt Factory," an award-winning, semi-autobiographical children's book), research reports, and ezines. After working as an author and publisher for some years, I discovered acrylic paints for the first time in 2010. The following year, I began painting as a full-time business. I started out painting custom animal portraits, and have created many, cherished paintings of peoples' pets. Most have been dogs, with a few cats, but some of the most memorable custom pieces I have created were a portrait of a teacup piglet in a tutu, and one of a lovely Jersey! I still work with a number of custom clients, but have recently focused more on my own pieces, which tend more toward wildlife and landscapes. Currently, I am emphasizing endangered species in my work, as well as creating a number of animal collective series. The sample below from my "Murder Suspects" series, indicates what you can expect from those pieces! My work has been juried into a number of museum and gallery shows in Colorado and Arizona, and is collected throughout the United States and Canada. In Arizona, I work out of my Rio Verde foothills studio, and exhibit at the Robin's Nest Studio during the Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour, held each November. I welcome new clients and collectors! Ravay Snow Fine Art www.ravaysnow.com 303-434-4960
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