Ray Paul is an artist living and working in Tampa, Florida. Ray received his B.S. in Biology from Florida State University in 1986, and his M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Cincinnati in 1991. Artist Statement: I believe the creative process must be preceded by some primordial urge, some instinctive need. This is followed by the desire to reach a state of child- like innocence, and thus the condition of the primal shaman. In this uninhibited emotional realm, the seed of a work of art is created. This seed is fertilized by the subconscious and brought to the embryonic level. Here, the conscious attains control, nurturing and developing the embryo into maturation. The result of this process is a work of art. The painter must be in tune with his/her true self, contemporary society, the vast history of art and civilization, and the wonderful complexities of the paint itself. Therefore, a work of art can be viewed as a visual distillation of life experiences, knowledge, and instinct. However, a painting is not complete until it reaches an audience, until it finds that secret realm of shared humanity. Ray Paul |