Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Ramirez.
Hi Olivia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thanks in advance for reading my creative journey. So, I bought a one-way ticket to New York in December 2015. I started my New Years’ Eve 2016 at the Plaza, right across Central Park, fireworks and all! I was starting a new chapter in my life, finishing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at age 52 and single again. So, I applied to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and was accepted. I did one semester then transferred to Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, to study Fine Art Painting and Sustainability. I graduated with honors in May 2019. While I was in school, I had two art exhibits there at Otis. I loved the feeling of exhibiting my art, so I started working harder than hard on my collection after I graduated. The lockdown during covid in 2020 enabled me to really make tons of art. All I did was paint night and day, literally! I now have over fifty abstract paintings in my collection and growing! I produce a new painting every week. I paint with rainwater, ocean water, and water from my travels.
In 2020 I participated in a city-wide competition in Manhattan Beach for the 100th Anniversary of their pier. My painting was the staff’s favorite and was featured in a book! I was also in the SFS Art Fest in Santa Fe Springs in 2022. I have exhibited internationally! My first international exhibition was in Luxembourg in 2021. I traveled there and was welcomed so warmly at customs. I recently went to Paris and New York for my exhibitions! I was at the International Contemporary Art Fair in Paris in September and in the East Village at The EVAC! I’m currently preparing to exhibit in Berlin! And the gallery representing me which is Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid, Spain, has my paintings in their gallery!
Today I can proudly say my art is going places thanks to working harder than hard. I work relentlessly! I manage my social media accounts which are @liv_painter on Instagram and @livliv2021 on TikTok. I also manage my website at www.ivpainter.com
I know this is a cliche, hard work pays off, but it really does. It is sacrificial, it is a lifestyle but so worth it when you can touch someone’s life with art!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey was tough because I was 52 when I went back to college in New York. Taking the metro from Manhattan to Brooklyn in the windy cold snow carrying art supplies and big paintings was rigorous! It taught me to be resilient and determined. Especially when I lived in sunny Los Angeles all my life! I was already fit but lugging art supplies and paintings in the hot humidity in the summer was harsh, walking from the metro to Pratt Institute drenched! You don’t have a car so it’s not like you can just drive yourself to college, we’re talking metro and buses, at night too. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I enjoyed every minute of it and remained positive. I truly loved the experience of living in New York for one year. It was smooth sailing once I transferred to Los Angeles. I lived in Hermosa Beach and was so inspired by the ocean colors, it shows in my art. I was miles from Otis College of Art and Design. The only challenge I had was balancing my classes and working part-time.
I’ve learned to accept my challenges, praying and painting get me through, this is my therapy. I don’t let anyone or anything stand in my way of achieving my goals.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am passionate about abstract painting! I love this form of painting because it is non-representational. I paint intuitively. My art is contemporary because I paint in the now, in real-time. I can paint every day. I’m inspired by a simple drive to the market or park. Even a pile of leaves can inspire color, texture, and abstraction. I am inspired by my travles. I love to travel to New York. I go at least once a year to museums and galleries. I get the most inspiration when I travel. Being out of my own element creates excitement and new ideas. I carry my sketchbook with me at all times.
I believe what sets me apart is the materials I use. I gather water from the natural environment all the time. I have a water collection from around the world. It has grown throughout the years because all my friends and family know I paint with rainwater, ocean water, river water any water from any destination so they bring it in a three-ounce container. I apply the specific water to add to the narrative of my painting. To me, the water adds a unique touch to the meaning behind my painting and every painting tells a story.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
One surprising fact about me is that I’m related to Carlos Santana. His mother and my grandfather were first cousins. There is some family history there. My first concert was a Santana concert as a teen. When I lived in New York I saw him at Madison Square Garden.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.livpainter.com
- Instagram: @liv_painter
- Other: TikTok: livliv2021
Image Credits
Nina
Steve
Sandra
Letty
Eddie
Oscar
