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

Raven, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

I’d have to say the biggest unexpected thing that I’ve faced in my creative journey was back in the summer of 2015. I had been in a really good flow with my art prior to that, having worked diligently to get to the point where I was enjoying a flourishing art career, when things changed in the blink of an eye. I was the passenger in a near death car accident while I was living in Ontario, Canada which abruptly halted my art career. I spent several months in the hospital with severe injuries, and as a result, had to cancel all of my upcoming solo & group shows, and a trip to teach at a workshop in Goa, India. At first, I naively thought that I’d simply be able to pivot within my situation and not skip a beat…Frida Kahlo came to mind in those first few weeks in the hospital and I thought surely I was just as tenacious as she. Turns out, for me anyway, it would take a whole lot more than just my desire to actually reconnect with my ability to make art.
Having sustained various serious injuries, including a broken back, collar bone, sternum and tibial plateau fracture that required several surgeries, and having to re-learn how to walk again, somehow my connection to my art was also severed and I came to understand that as I was having to learn a whole new relationship with my body, so would be the same with finding my creative connection again as well. It was terrifying to feel so disconnected from my ability to create.

My recovery process after my release from the hospital lasted several years, however, throughout my recovery, I never lost sight of my goal to be able to return to my adventures in nature and career as a full-time, working artist.
I finally crossed that bridge in October 2021 and picked up where I left off, with deeper insights, appreciation & passion.

Raven, 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?

My desire to create visual work can be traced back to my childhood days where I would spend hours on end, everyday, exploring the woods surrounding my folks farm. I have vivid memories of laying on my belly, in awe of lady slippers and sitting quietly with my art supplies, nestled secretly under tree canopies, observing & drawing animals, farm equipment & landscapes. I have always had a passion for sharing the beauty of Nature & the importance of protecting it with others. I believe that Nature speaks to those who listen.
Through my work, I inspire the viewer to take pause, and in those moments, cut through the frenetic energy of day-to-day society, inviting them to enjoy & explore a meaningful connection with Nature.
I have an intrinsic need to be outdoors, or at the very least, road-tripping through scenic places. Even if it’s just through my local rural back roads…there’s something about being outside to witness the changing light of the day…the way golden hour illuminates the antlers & shaggy winter coats of an elk herd in the meadow, or clouds cast their shadows across the high desert…the way the morning light peeks through the cracks in old weathered barns & abandoned ranches, I never tire of the wonder of it all, and am moved to do my best to translate these fleeting moments into paintings.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I can feel when I’ve hit the mark with a painting, and I can also feel when I’ve fallen short of what I was going for. I think a lot of artists will agree that there are times when work flows effortlessly and other times where a piece feels like a bit of a wrestling match all the way through. Even though it may not seem like it at times, there are rewarding aspects in both of those scenarios that always have a profound way of coming to light along the way. Being an artist is, by nature, a profession that tends to be quite isolating. I can go days or weeks sometimes without seeing or speaking to anyone, especially when I am in a deep creative flow. When folks take the time to share their genuine reactions/first impressions of a painting I have posted on my website, social media or at a show, it is validating & rewarding to know they also feel moved and/or a connection to the work.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I actually created a new Instagram account a year ago, thinking it would be easier to make a fresh start with a new page as I was finally getting back into my artwork full-time again after 7 years of the accident/recovery aftermath. My old account had grown quickly, and therefore I assumed I would have no issues similarly growing the new page.
What I learned is that social media, & Instagram in particular, has changed ALOT since I had my old page, and a different type of strategy & effort is required to see steady growth on social media & likewise in growing an email list these days.
I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learned since starting my new account last year is that, while it may sound cliche, just stay true to you & share what you are moved to share, in the way you are moved to do so.
For a little while, I consistently made some funny art reels to “pepper” into my feed, in the hopes that it would grow my audience, but what I discovered that even though some of those reels got over 30K views & lots of likes, they weren’t being viewed by what I would refer to as my “target audience”. While I felt that those reels where fun to make and showed my sense of humor, at the end of the day, it really was just “noise” that watered down my feed and, in my opinion, distracted me & my followers which actually took away from my work.
I’d say it really boils down to just a matter of consistency & time, but don’t let it consume you. The most important thing is to not lose sight of your purpose & keep your focus first and foremost on making your art! If you do that, then you’ll have plenty to share & can do so consistently & authentically in your own voice. Your audience will find you & when they do, you’ll be glad you have plenty to show them, because you actually spent quality time actually creating your art, rather than creating staged reels & posts of you “acting” as if you were making your art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ravenskyewesternart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravenskye.westernart
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/people/Raven–Skye-Western-Art/100065037069598/

Image Credits
Laura Ring Photography