ARTIST CONNIE RAMIREZ NAVIGATES BETWEEN NUMBERS AND COLORS

Connie Ramirez de la Espriella is no ordinary artist. Hailing from Neiva, capital of El Huila Department, in South American Colombia, this talented lady has no fear when it comes to exploring new trends and taking her art to higher peaks.

What helps her trespass the realms of imagination every time she embarks in a new work of art is reminiscing on the memories from her childhood that have remained within her.

“I have vivid images of family vacations to my grandmother’s farmland taken during my childhood and teenage years,” says Connie. “Even back then I knew that one day I’d be representing on my canvases such breathtaking landscapes, colorful flowers, my country’s heartbeat and nature’s wonders.”

The artist married at a very young age and became a mother almost immediately. “I knew that my dream to become an artist had to be put on hold; so, I decided that for my girl and for myself I needed to finish my college education.”

Connie earned a degree in Business Administration and a master’s in Private Finance. Marriage, motherhood, and a demanding career in accounting --in which she still succeeds to this date-- did not leave her time to take professional art classes. However, she has always found a guardian angel on her life path and when her boss in Miami learned of her artistic talent, he offered great support and encouragement.

“I am thankful to him because he told me to turn my dream into reality by becoming an artist, by undertaking classes after work, and taking the time to set up my studio on the weekends to paint.”

When Connie came to the United States seeking a better life for her daughter and for herself she explored porcelain painting by following the steps of her mother, Inés de la Espriella Ramirez, an excellent artist herself.

“It was then when I realized the importance of learning about color changes and mixtures,” Connie recalls. “I learned about the problems that must be overcome when burning porcelain in the oven, and what should be done to get proper contrasting colors.”

It was later on when developed her talent to further explore painting with oils. This is her specialty to this date and she is happy to be able to work off her studio, where she turns the music on and finds peace that allows her to interpret the beauty that God has created in nature.

“Painting also helps me minimize the level of stress that results from my daily dealings with numbers and their cold nature they bring to my job,” she confesses. “I think there is an extraordinary contrast between the iciness of numbers and the happiness of colors and that is why I try to make my paintings full of contrasting colors, sizes and materials, by taking the mixed media approach.”