Carlos Ramirez
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 undoubtably 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.
Artist Statement
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 cord 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.
Instagram: @carlosramirezstudio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlosramirezstudio/
Website: carlosramirezart.com
Email: carlos@carlosramirezart.com
