We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ralph Almeida. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ralph below.
Ralph, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
As with most artists they will tell you that creating art is a very intuitive thing. I had a knack for drawing and an enthusiastic sense of color from my early childhood.
Within 3 years of moving to New York City I was lucky enough to meet someone who saw my creative side.
She introduced me to a textile design house that she had been working for.
It was there that I began to make patterns and designs freelance for adults and children’s wear.
Upon selling my work it was noticeably clear to me that I could and should continue a creative path.
Ralph, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I consider myself a multidisciplinary artist. My present modes of expression are acrylic paintings, ceramic arts and watercolors. Throughout the nineties I explored a variety of mediums, took various design classes, and I started to do group and solo shows. Diversity was always the key. It was here that I set myself apart from other artists by not focusing on one medium.
In the past I have done printmaking, stained glass, fused glass, mixed media, and collage. In early 2000 I began to make decorative ceramic tiles to sell in artisan style retail venues and architectural home installations for bathrooms and kitchens.
I create beautiful acrylic paintings and tile work, I employ fluid lines, organic and geometric forms, and a bold, polychromatic palette to evoke visceral, imaginative experiences.
I am most proud when my clients are happy with how their commissions turn out.
I am currently taking my paintings and tile imagery and reworking them into sophisticated patterns that Society6 prints onto a host of merchandise for lifestyle purposes i.e., home, bed, bath or office.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
After 20 years in NYC, I decided to move to California, a place where I always wanted to be. Here I was in an unfamiliar environment, trying to start over in all aspects of my life, job, home, friends and trying to launch my art career. I had much anxiety in response to all these changes.
I was able to connect with the right people and began working, teaching art classes, and doing outdoor shows.
It made me stronger when I showed myself that due diligence and change could fuel my new beginnings.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
First, you can never have too much art! Art is important, art is everything. It is a requirement for artists to ask for the support, to receive the support that they desire.
I have been an emerging artist for 30 years and during that time it required me to do all the marketing and promotion.
If you do not do the footwork, you will never build the clientele.
All of society needs to show up for the artist continually. Friends, family, patrons, galleries, and businesses like Canvas Rebel who help give artists a platform for visibility.
Continued support monetarily, shopping small business and physically showing up for that artist represents that supporters get what is involved to make a talented artist.
It also propels that artist to keep thriving.
Contact Info:
- Website: raffaart.com
- Instagram: raffa_art
- Facebook: Ralph Almeida and Raffa Art
- Other: https://linktr.ee/RaffaArt email: [email protected]