We were lucky to catch up with Raina Verhey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Raina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I think my story, though launching professionally when I was about twenty, began in my childhood home. I grew up the oldest of five children, daughter to two artists working hard to make their way in the world. My dad is and was an architectural designer, my mother a painter and songwriter. Both of them had an undying entrepreneurial backbone. I was a part of the ups and downs of choosing a path less followed, especially by the folks around us in those times. They chose lives that allowed honest expression, required constant drive and focus, and bubbled up connection through creativity with their children and close friends. I saw something sacred in those formative years: friends gathering around our table during hard times finding meaning and connection through the work and heart my parents had worked so hard to cultivate. It was back then, around the age of ten, that I knew I wanted to carve my own way. I thought it was music, turns out my medium would develop to be oil painting!

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.

Hello! My name is Raina Verhey, I am an abstract oil painter based out of Central Oregon. I specialize in what I call “Landscapes of the Soul”, which translates to abstract landscapes meant to act as a map for the emotional side of life. My work is geared towards supporting the processes of love, grief, loss, hope, tenacity and belief by creating a gateway into their world, dynamic and wild.

I got into the painting world by sheer chance – I had found myself in a time of deep grief, processing the unexpected and the chosen sorrows of life that sometimes befall us. I needed a way to process the physical element of the loss I felt, so I started digging into the art world. I worked my way through mediums over time, moving from pen work, to charcoal, to watercolor, and finally to oil, which proved to be the healing medium I had been seeking. I taught myself painting techniques through experiment and reading old art books and studying others around me – always very abstract, always very feeling-based. A switch flipped for me when I began to paint on large panels: something in me said, “I think this is important, I think this is worth pursuing, I think this could even sell.”

I worked part-time jobs that turned into full-time jobs to support myself while developing my style – then after a couple years I was hired to do a larger install, which launched me into a space where I really could make enough to support myself full-time.

I now offer large oil paintings on panel, more affordable pieces on arches oil paper, cards, prints and more!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Art is largely about impact, and artists thrive on sharing impactful moments with people who offer the sacred gift of their attention. That brings the rest (money, paid bills, art supplies, etc) by opening that door of energetic flow. It is a huge deal. So folks coming out to shows and events, shop owners being willing to entertain new-to-the-scene wholesale artists, artists being willing to share art with each other, all of these things stimulate the creative energy of a place. And of course, sharing work that speaks to folks on social media or with friends always does so much to boost artists.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think a huge part of the creative process, that really defines it from the intellectual process, is a raw connection to emotion. It is a very odd thing to exist in the professional world while talking about heart and soul and love and pain – they don’t bond well… at least, not on the surface. Something I have learned is the moment I get vulnerable with my clients, it opens a door for deeper meaning in our business and a firmer foundation of trust. Learning this from the art world, I have been able to apply that same approach to different jobs I have worked, increasing ability to diffuse conflict (especially drawn out, interpersonal team conflict), increase customer satisfaction, and even sales for my employers! That subtle touch of honest emotional connection, sharing the deeper meaning, often translates to even the stiffest folks.     

Contact Info:

• Website: ArtbyRaina.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/artbyraina_

Image Credits
Kami Couch – photographer