Raven Smith —resident artist ‘22-’23
Raven Smith, a Florida native, moved to Richmond in pursuit of a life of art and outdoors. Her work has been shown at The Mix Gallery, Richmond Library, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's “Letter’s with Love” in 2022, and recently participated in a Quirk Gallery pop-up event. Smith was the 2021 Artist in Residence at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond where she is now a teacher for paper art workshops.
SAVE THE DATE! — Jan. 11, 2024!
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THIS RESIDENCY?
I am so excited to be apart of such a wonderful organization. Oakwood is truly dedicated to building creative access to members of the community. During my time at the Oakwood Arts Residency, I aim to build connections and collaborate with other artists, while further exploring paper as a medium. With the digital media and collaborative efforts that Oakwood will provide, I will use these resources to try new methods of creating in hopes of pushing my artistic limits.
REGISTER FOR A PAPER SOIREE’S DATE BELOW!
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE?
As a young girl, I loved gliding my scissors through construction paper to create beautifully arranged strips of colors that would then be turned into ringlets and form the longest, most colorful link chains my first-grade class would ever see. Since then, these childhood memories, practices, and habits have shaped my exploration of paper as a new medium. My paper illustrations explore and take inspiration from observations of the natural world, how we interact with it, the raw essence of the subjects found there, and ultimately allowing us to consider and rethink our relationship with natural spaces, flora, and fauna.
“Black Silhouettes is an art series I took on this year. It’s meant to highlight the features and enhance the beauty of black and brown people. While using plants and flowers that represent each individuals culture.
Taylor has roots along the south and eastern regions of the United States along with roots of indigenous Americans.
I chose Dogwoods and the Blue Azure butterfly to highlight her connections to her deep Virginian roots.”
