We were lucky to catch up with Raven Armstead recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Raven, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always had a creative mindset and growing up, I used that creativity as an escape from bad/stressful days. That creativity ranged from me started my own little nail salon business at the age of 11 or 12 to starting my own hair business for my friends parents and their friends at the age of 14. I would give other people a day of relaxation and escape and found a way to turn those passions into my jobs..but at the end of all those days, I always found myself falling back to my own art. To give myself my own peace/therapy/escape.

Taking you back to my childhood, there’s a place in Atlanta called “Underground”..
My parents would take my brothers and I there every now and then when we were kids and I remember it quickly becoming the place I looked forward to visiting the most. It may be much different now but kid-Raven saw it as this huge, magical, dimly lit cave full of all these amazing, artistic people. It seemed like they all knew each other and would support/communicate like family. Each stall we stopped at was filled with pure culture.. all of them unique and free. Every artist/creative that noticed me would speak to me eye to eye, explain what they were doing and show me that I could do it to. Some of them were there to make money. Some of them were there just to share their world. Some were there as a form of healing. Most of them were there to do all of the above. I would linger behind and get fully mesmerized by all of the traditional artists especially. Like “how do you translate something so mind-blowing from your brain to your hands to this blank piece of paper??..and make people actually SEE what you FEEL?!?” That’s always tripped me out. Lol
They weren’t just making art. They were creating deeply personal masterpieces and deciding to let people understand what’s going on inside their heads without having to say a word… all while making a living from it.

So ever since my first visit to “Underground” I knew I wanted to turn my art into something that would fuel my future (whether that was nails, hair, painting etc.) I just finally chose the one thing that brought me the most peace and happiness. Traditional art.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Raven Armstead. I am a 26 year old full time traditional artist, originally from Atlanta, Ga.
My brothers and I moved to Huntsville, AL a few years ago in order to be closer to my grandfather and help when needed.
When the pandemic hit in 2019, I was working at a restaurant and had been serving/ bartending for about 7 years. Hours were cut and stress was high so I decided to take advantage of a bad situation and leave that job. I sat on my savings for a while but eventually woke up one day with the energy and ambition that’s always been there but was on the back burner. I’ve always dreamt of owning my own business, working for no one but myself, doing what brings me peace/therapy and share that therapy while making it lucrative. I’ve always wanted a career that isn’t very prevalent when many people think of a “successful career choice” for a young black woman. I was doing the same thing that a lot of people were drawn to when we first entered quarantine.
You either
A: bought a ton of plants
B: started a “fitness journey”
C: adopted a pet
D: quit a fitness journey
E: re decorated your home
etc…..
I just happened to do ALLLLL of the above and then some lol.

Every night though **staring blankly at my plants hanging on for dear life and the yoga mat in the corner of my room collecting dust while listening to my puppy barking at nothing** I just kept thinking, “I can go out and easily find another job in the service/restaurant industry. I’m good at it and it’s great money… orrrrr I can finally start an actual career I was meant to make happen.”
So that was it. One thing about me, once I get an idea in my head that I really want to make happen, I work until I get it done. I spent several sleepless nights on YouTube and Instagram and crammed all the information I could to start this business.
I knew I needed a plan on a tight budget and not a lot of time if I was going to take advantage of the current markets I needed to get myself into. So I sat down, sketched out a plan and bought the supplies I needed with what was currently left in my savings. Got to work that next week.

When I get in that creative headspace, ideas just start flowing. I created several originals from those ideas and started 3 series. I knew I wanted my art to be accessible to people with different budgets so I bought a printer, started creating my own prints. I searched for local art shows and markets and signed up for as many as possible. Bought my tent, tables, chairs and set up my first booth at “Lowemill Arts and Entertainment” outdoor market..
And it was a SUCCESS.
I met so many people that would not only purchase my work but stay and talk to me about who I am and what my process is. One thing I heard the most of and still do is “I’ve just never seen hand-drawn art quite like this”…. That still makes me so proud to hear.
After that, I would set up nearly every weekend.. but between that time I’d continue to create new pieces and started to take commissions that gave me freedom and liberty to bring my vision and theirs to my clients world.

I have works from my custom mixed acrylics on canvas, to charcoal and metal foiling on paper, to wood and LED.. With all of my pieces, they start with a rough idea that either pops in my head and I freehand or I have variations that I sketch until I eventually settle on one.. but rarely , if ever, do I stick to a strict plan. That’s what keeps things organic and interesting.
My “Flows” series is created with my acrylics on large canvas. Each piece is focused on these full bodied women as the centers of attention. Each of them exist in their own imaginary world as it evolves around them. They tell a story of embracing strength, weakness, and connection. I create a wood frame for each piece.
My “Verre à Vin” series is created with charcoal and metal leafing. This is my portrait series that focuses on these ethereal people. I take different features that I see as interesting from shots that I find via Pinterest, Instagram, friends and my mind and I create a new person. My goal is to draw people that aren’t this country’s standard of “pretty” but are interesting and visually storytelling…with that mindset and in that process, they become beautiful in an ethereal, otherworldly way. I wanted to use metal leafing to add contrast and texture and the first time I did it, the shape I wound up with mimicked the pour of a ‘glass of wine’, translating to Verre à Vin in French. If you love wine as much as I do, you’ll see it immediately lol. I frame each piece with frames I find at vintage & second hand shops.
My “Deux Faced” series is created with my acrylics on 2 canvases that I connect together to make one piece. These paintings are usually of one person and their reflection from a different time or place in life. They’re about connection in more than a visual way. The importance of strength giving and receiving to each other but also from and to our past, present and future selves. I create a wood frame for each piece.
My “Glows” series is created with large birch plywood that I personally cut to size (always choosing an interesting shape), then paint with my custom acrylics, layering wood to give a 3D effect and back-light with LEDs. My goal is to turn something flat and lifeless into a floating, glowing, 3D work of art. Time consuming projects but well worth my collectors reaction to these commissions.
Aside from these, I also create one-off originals that all could flow and fall seamlessly into my established series’.

I released my first coloring book summer 2022 “Imperfect Paracosms”. Paracosm=Imaginary world.. It’s based on the first 6 paintings in my flows series and each page is hand drawn by me. It also includes a poetic narrative written by me. Throughout these pages they tell a story of flow, motion, strength and these women that are showing off their perfect imperfections. Every piece also has room for you to create your own story for your own rendition of my paintings. I am super grateful for the support being shown for these books. They’ve sold out 4 times since their release and hopefully one day will be available in stores.

My latest venture is in public murals. I’ve begun offering them late last year and I haven’t announced this yet *EXCLUSIVE early announcement for Canvas Rebel* but I have another coming up in the next 2 months!!! I can’t wait to start doing murals regularly and if anyone wants one for their home or business…you know who to contact!

I’ve found that many clients/ collectors I have don’t always know exactly what they want. They have colors and a room to display in mind but they aren’t completely sure exactly what will be perfect for them. (A problem when you’re about to spend hard earned money on something you’ll see on a daily basis) The one thing that they are all sure of is that they are drawn to my work and they trust me to create something that flows into their space and that moves them in the way that my previous/current work does. It’s always my goal to get to know who I’m creating for. See into their world a little bit and help land on a piece that is perfect for them while staying true to who I am.
The first thing that I make clear is that I don’t do family portraits and I don’t do pets. It is risky to have that boundary when it comes to being an artist because the first thing most people ask is “can you draw my family?” “can you paint my dog?” “ can you paint me an abstract landscape?”…. I have in the past but each time I’m so focused/stressed on getting every feature just right that I lose my style and my peace in the process. It becomes a chore as opposed to the career I chose. Remember what I said before, “ I’ve never seen art like this”… It’s different. It isn’t something your aunt and all your neighbors have in their living rooms from home goods.. No hate to home goods lol… but my work is unique.
So when someone comes to me with a commission proposal, they know that they’re getting a work that I am more than happy to do and that can be seen as an extension of me.

I’m most proud of who I’ve become these past few years. A lot of people in my world don’t know but I’ve lived with anxiety and depression for years. It gets easier to hide it and my sense of humor aids that but teenage Rave would never have foreseen me even breathing past the age of 18… but especially the fact that I’ve been able to pull myself out of those low states of mind and created an entirely new world for myself??? Mind blowing.
I’m still in the process but I’m also proud of myself for becoming open to the communities of friends, family and peers that I surround my self with. Just these past two years, I’ve allowed and even invited them to see me in my lows and encourage me to step out and step into more opportunities. That includes seeking mural opportunities and creating my first and largest piece in a public space, something I wouldn’t have even imagined myself doing 2 years ago.
I can’t wait to see what accomplishment I have to be proud of next.

I want people to understand the meaning behind my style and why I create what I do. I want them to look at my work and form their own interpretation but also ask questions so they can see that all of my pieces embody connection and flow, strength and sadness, giving and recieving..all for a reason. The main reason being that we need each other to succeed. I want them to know that my work is my way of expressing the vulnerability that doesn’t come easy for me to verbally share.

I also want them to remember the feeling they had when they first saw a piece of mine that made them experience genuine strong emotion. The one that didn’t just make them think it was “nice” or “pretty” but what gave them a true connection to what I’m trying to convey.

I definitely want my legacy to be one of a black female artist that didn’t give up and wasn’t silenced in the art world but I also want my current/future collectors and onlookers to see that, while I’m still alive. To see that I keep pushing through everything unexpected AND expected, finding and making my own peace in my own mind through my own hands. I want kids and grown people that think they’re too young or it’s too late to pursue their own wishes to look at my work and see how far I’ve come, how far I’m about to get and see that they can do the same.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Just how much time, energy and money goes into this career. How much it takes for a creative to not only create a collection that people are drawn to, but to also display something so deeply personal. Every week/ nearly every day. People are often told that artists are lazy/ complacent/ taking the easy way out…and MUST have money just sitting collecting dust to be able to just create all day (unfortunately I’ve even heard these things said by friends and family, jokingly or not).. but this is a full time job for a reason. There is so much to it that you don’t see, behind the scenes and you don’t know how much it truly takes to run your own business until you experience it yourself. Especially as a creative , the behind the scenes work takes from the time that could be used to create the art..Even I misjudged the complexity of it all until I was in it.

All that being said, I mostly want people to fully understand that if the results weren’t worth it in the long run…. I wouldn’t be doing it.
This is my world. The world I chose and will keep choosing.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Remember what I said about the artists I met in “Underground”? I feel most rewarded and proud when someone is explaining to me how a piece of mine makes them “SEE what I FEEL”..and on the other hand could also make them see and feel something totally different. It starts a conversation about something naturally important to the artist/creative and it becomes something important to the viewer. Something that mass produced, computer generated art can’t do.
We as artists give the average person a chance to either learn our minds or seek out their own interpretation of something that can be as simple or complex as their mind wants it to be.
I think being an artist or creative gives us that super power that not everyone naturally possesses.. and I think that’s the most rewarding and sweetest thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ravesakestudios.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rave.sake.studios/?hl=en