Rising Stars: Meet Ron Braverman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Braverman.

Hi Ron, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story starts with a Mexican red clay figure my family kept on a shelf. It was about 6 inches tall. I may have been 7 or 8 years old when my father sat me down at the dining room table and we both sketched the figure. I still remember carefully observing and trying to recreate the figure’s contours on the paper. Right then and there I fell in love with drawing. I could create, which felt like “magic!” It was an event that would reverberate throughout my life. I have been very fortunate to revisit that magic often and I’m really grateful to share my artwork with others.

Three things helped me get to where I am today.

First, my wife, Lindsay Ash (www.StarfishintheKitchen.com) is the linchpin and has been an endless source of inspiration which has helped me to be where I am today. Lindsay’s encouragement, support and appreciation for my work is absolutely vital.

Second, I’ve arrived at this moment by putting in truly countless hours of work. You may have read about the “10,000-hour rule” which was popularized by the journalist Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell noted, “Researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10,000 hours.” Any success I’ve achieved was in large part due to 10,000+ hours of practice.

Finally, technology has helped me share my work. I’ve been able to create works of art just once, and then sell beautifully printed limited-edition prints multiple times. Social media has helped me circulate my artwork widely. My e-commerce website (www.RonBraverman.com) and Etsy page (www.etsy.com/shop/BraverStudio) have made sales easier and more consistent.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to being an artist has not been smooth, not even a little bit! I suspect, in a well-seasoned artistic life, there must be obstacles and detours, but it’s the journey, right? I strongly believe these struggles can be the very thing that helps provide success.

My largest struggle has been choosing if I should create abstract or representational artwork and whether I should create it with traditional media like paint and canvas or digitally. I combat this struggle by simply working as intuitively as possible. When inspiration comes, I try to take a zen-like approach and just go with my gut. I’ve recently read, that on your way to creating a masterwork, the secret is to create tons of work and eventually the best and brightest will emerge. So, I think the struggle will continue, but as noted, it may be the very thing that helps me succeed.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a designer, painter, sculptor and photographer. I’m most known for my abstract painting and illustration. More recently, I’ve been having fun with cartography (maps). I’ve been getting a steady stream of commissions to create digital maps. These maps I create maybe to commemorate people’s new homes, where they got married, a vacation spot or just a favorite location. I love the challenge and enjoy collaborating with people on a keepsake that may be hung in their homes for many years!

I think what really sets me apart from others is simply my brand of art. It’s uniquely mine and usually upbeat, linear, geometric and well crafted.

I have always tried to maintain some level of creativity or art production, whether it was painting, woodworking with my wife and creating Starfish & Whale (www.etsy.com/shop/StarfishandWhale) or with my photos and writing on www.BraverGuide.com. I think without a strong commitment, constant inspiration and steadfast discipline, it’s easy to let the distractions take the wheel. Trust me, I’ve made all the excuses and procrastinated a ton, but in the end, I return to the magic of art.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think artists are inherently risk takers. Just consistently “putting yourself out there” to be judged is a risk. I do believe calculated risks are needed to break through the noise and are truly potential game changers! This question reminds me, I must take more risks!

Thank you for your interest and for checking out my work.

Feel free to contact me through www.RonBraverman.com about these works or about commissions.

Pricing:

• Prices range from $150. to $1,200. mostly.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.RonBraverman.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/braverstudio/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Braverman777
• Other: www.braverguide.com

Image Credits:
All Photos by Ron Braverman