I recently swung by the Atwater Village studio of oil painter Jeff Ramirez as he finished up his pieces for ‘Being There’, his upcoming show at Thinkspace alongside the Bay Area’s Pakayla Rae Biehn that opens this coming Sat, May 21st.
“I have always felt like I was living between two worlds. In each, I was a different person, always hyperaware of my surroundings. Every gesture amounted to a self-conscious performance. In images, I felt improperly represented. I grew to disassociate with my own reflection in imagery and thus became skeptical of the images of others.” – Jeff Ramirez
“Every day I take in countless pictures, many of which encourage me not to ask questions, but rather to just accept their truths. While they may appear to be candid, they are capturing both pose and performance. I am compelled to create images using others as props, stand-ins and doubles for myself. While typical portrait subjects want to demonstrate their power and import, the subjects in my paintings are isolated and aware that they are being watched. They are barely there, reduced by the act of creation.” – Jeff Ramirez
We’ll be profiling 9 new oil paintings on wood panel from Jeff and the level of detail in the new series is just stunning. As with all his work, Ramirez photographs all of his own reference in photo shoots he sets up with friends and area models. We’re big fans of Jeff’s unique take on realism and his work is quickly catching the eye of many established collectors.
Take a further look inside Ramirez’s studio here:
www.flickr.com/photos/thinkspace/sets/72157626144613841/
‘Being There’
New oil paintings from Jeff Ramirez and Pakayla Rae Biehn
On view May 21st – June 3rd
Reception with the artists:
Sat, May 21st 6-8PM
Thinkspace / 6009 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA / www.thinkspacegallery.com
