Meet Raven

How did you find out about Oxbow? And why did you want to come here?

I found out about Oxbow through one of my classmates at school who came here last semester. I wanted to come here for the simple fact that Oxbow seemed like an awesome place to come and explore within myself abilities that I didn’t think were there.

How has it been adjusting to life away from home, and a totally new school environment?

This is a totally new environment but I feel comforted and safe between the faculty, staff and students. I think that the hardest part is waking up on my own in the morning… that’s something that was new for me because my mom always did it! Ultimately being here has tested my independence. 

What aspect of the Oxbow experience (curriculum element, art project, community life, etc.) has been the most impactful for you?

The curriculum is something so different and impactful for me because I never really was in tune with myself. I think one thing, since being here, that has helped me is channeling my feelings and writing personal essays. I was always so used to analyzing that I never really thought about me. 

What is your favorite color and why?

I love the color red because its so rich, and I personally think that I look the best in the color red.

What kind of music do you listen to when you’re making art?

I tend to listen to Beyonce mostly. I think that’s because she has different genres of music. Some is pop, some is techno pop, some is rhythm and blues…I listen to it all, on FULL BLAST.

What kinds of things inspire and inform your artwork? (Where do you look for inspiration?)

I think that my past experiences inspire me. I tend to personalize my artwork so that it applies to me directly, or to something that has affected me negatively or positively. I hadn’t really realized until recently that I tend to use more of a dark pallet of paint colors. I don’t know why that is.

Are they are any artists whose work you are particularly excited about right now?

I don’t have anyone in specific but Larry Thomas’ art is one that really opened eyes for me. I think that his intentional lines embroidered within text is something that I would love to try doing. His passion for helping others work with ink and other mediums was just really inspiring and special to me.

Do you have any special or secret talents?

I can sing and dance real well!