SJM Local Artist Series 2020

Nikki Rakov, Eric Rackov, Alma Ramirez, Terri Rampone & Judith Goldstein

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​Nikki Rakov

To see more of Nikki's art visit www.rakovfinearts.com

EvenTide, charcoal and gesso on paper, 11" x 14" (Nikki Rakov)

Art has been my passion since I was a small child. For as long as I can remember, I have been drawing and painting, creating works of art that reflect experiences of my surroundings. As a child, I lived in Virginia and California before settling in North Florida and I have many memories of time spent in those places expressing myself through my art.

​During high school, I took every art class offered and then enrolled at  Mercer University in Macon, Georgia earning a Bachelor’s degree in the Visual Arts as well as in Art History. During my undergraduate years, I studied drawing, painting and art history while living in Florence, Italy for six months. This Italian adventure was a turning point for me as that experience strengthened my passion for the Fine Arts and for travel, instilling in me a lifelong passion for both art and travel. After graduation, I returned to North Florida and began teaching high school art in Duval County.

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Cover Image
Shangra-La ​by Nikki Rikov

​Erik Rakov

www.rakovfinearts.com

St. Stephen's Green, Collage

How did you get started as an artist?

I enjoyed drawing and had a natural inclination towards visual arts at an early age. Art classes were always my favorite in school and I won a scholastic award in high school as well as AP credit. I attended Rochester Institute of Technology and I earned a BFA in Graphic Design and an AA, and after graduation in 1996 I immediately joined a tech startup designing web sites. I figured out quickly that I was better suited for (and could earn more) in IT project management, which has essentially been my career for the last 23 years. I dabbled in painting and drawing over the years, but when I met my wife Nikki (also an artist) in 2014, the artistic part of me was re-awakened.

What inspires you?

I consider myself more of a hobbyist than an artist, and I’m easily impressed with others’ work. I follow several hashtags and artists on Instagram and am blown away by some of the landscape art that I see in my feed. I’m also impressed by some of the productivity from artists who are able to create a painting per day (or more). For my own work I enjoy working from life when possible, and many of my favorites are simple still life coffee cups, sea shells, as well as figure drawings (which haven’t happened in a while due to COVID-19).  

What aspect of your work do you enjoy most?

I like to work in traditional media such as acrylics and oils, and lately I’ve gotten more into collage using cut magazines. I apply the media in a somewhat “painterly” style building colors in layers, creating dark shadows and bright highlights. Making a collage is also kind of like working a jigsaw puzzle or building with legos, where there’s a lot of searching for the right piece. Collage, unlike wet-media paints, can also be worked on in smaller time slots (less prep and cleanup). My favorite part is being in the thick of the work itself, fully transfixed and losing track of time while in the act of creating a piece. The most difficult part is knowing when to stop. 

What has been the most memorable response to your work?
We joined the St. Augustine Art Association several years ago, which has been a fantastic organization to support and have access to the resources it provides. Having a piece accepted and displayed in their gallery for the first time was definitely a treasured memory. We also received a really positive response from friends and neighbors who viewed our pieces on display at Twisted Compass coffee this spring. 

​Alma Ramirez

alma-ramirez.com

Afternoon Glare (Oil on Canvas)

​Alma Ramirez, contemporary abstract artist, creates pixelated-inspired waterfront art 

Mexican-American artist, Alma Ramirez, transformed grief and uncertainty into hope and tranquility. One day in late 2014, Ramirez was walking up and down the Florida coastline, snapping photos of the surf and sand, contemplating the impending certainty of raising her son as a single mother. With the crash of a wave, Ramirez dropped her camera into the water. The artist discovered after downloading waterlogged, pixelated images, while her camera was broken, her hope was not. Ramirez discovered that even a “broken image” can be beautiful.

“The images inspired me to pick up my paintbrush and use colors to create a story,” explained Ramirez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Instituto de Bellas Artes in Chihuahua, Mexico. “By exploring the concept of my broken images, I was able to notice pure colors, shapes, forms, and even emotions. My work became a source of meditation for me – helping me form a new vision and a new perspective for my life.”  

Pink, lilac, and orange sailboats gather amidst a sea of pixelated blue hues in Afternoon Glare. Pockets of cornflower, goldenrod, and teal marsh grass grows out of the rectangular waterway in Marsh In Blue. In Serenity By The Water, towering masts are the pinnacle of vibrant, multi-colored sailboats resting in the bay. These are just a few of the pieces of art in Ramirez’s vast and growing collection, which range in price from $300 to more than $6,000.

“I believe feelings can be transmitted through color and composition,” the artist said. “There is so much poetry in color alone that I can’t resist but try and combine and arrange tones and shapes in different ways – creating or recreating a story. I’m always astonished at how much I can share with the world through my art, my love for nature – especially the ocean – and my journey seeking peace within the waves.”

ALMA RAMIREZ FINE ART’S vibrant and modern interpretations of waterfront scenes can be found by appointment only at her gallery location in the San Sebastian Art District, 134 Riberia Street, St. Augustine, Florida. Learn more at alma-ramirez.com and follow along on Instagram @almaramirezart

Judith Goldstein

judeart.com

"Another response to this period of isolation and the reach for comfort!  "This too Shall Pass" is something that my Mother and Grandmother used to say to me whenever I was sad. These words are familiar to me and have brought soulful memories of my childhood and the serenity of the shelter and safety we took for granted."
Judith Goldstein

Rachel Mixed media *currently on display at CC Gallery. by Judith Goldstein

​Terri Rampone

www.nouveaupc.com

Breezy Day Just You and Me Acrylic on Canvas

​What is the story of how you 
became an artist? 

I’ve been painting since I was eight years old. Attended The School of Visual Arts in New York and then moved onto The Fashion Institute of Technology. 

Today I am an eight year breast cancer survivor, a mother of a teenager and a wife of a loving husband. I’m a home maker the mother to our daughter and a permanent make up artist. I do permanent make up because it something that came into my life when I had breast cancer. I was overwhelmed with joy and how my life has changed and having an art background for over 50 years it was as if I was lead down the path.


How does your work as a 
permanent makeup artist fit into your journey?
I also use my artistic experience to apply Permanent Makeup to enhance eyebrows, eyeliner, lips and Areolas and scars with several different techniques. I love giving back to people in need and enjoying making a simple change in their lives that brings so much joy. 


As a fine artist what describes 
your approach? 
Anything with color and movement and shadows seems to catch my eye the most. I can get absorbed into the art and get lost inside it.  Something that strikes my eye. It could range from a zoomed in flower to a scenic view to a simple painting of a high heeled shoe with fantastic color and shadow. 

I admire Edgar Degas ballerina paintings and sculptures.  I always wanted to dance as a child and fortunately I chose art because my daughter is a ballerina and dances so I have the best of them both! I hope to one day to be the proud owner of his sculpture work.