Meet Nina Ramos, a Central Florida-based abstract impressionist painter. For our April artist of the month, her work not only symbolizes herself but the journey of life that she’s been on since she was just a girl illustrating at her kitchen table. Read more below on how Ramos was led back to her artistic roots after a 16-year career in marketing and how her work has since blossomed.
Nonahood News: What drove you to become an artist?
Nina Ramos: I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a little kid. Being an artist has come naturally to me since I was old enough to hold a crayon! The goal of being a professional artist was driven by the desire to live life on my terms, pursuing my passion.
NHN: When did you realize creating art was your passion?
NR: I took a long break from art after I graduated and picked it back up in my early 30s. I started painting again slowly. As the years went on, I found myself painting more and more frequently. Ideas and inspiration were running through my head all day at work. Every night, I would dream about new paintings I wanted to create or changes I wanted to make to existing paintings. That’s when I knew this was more than a hobby.
NHN: How often do you find yourself creating art?
NR: I paint every day unless I’m taking time off or away on vacation.
NHN: How long did it take you to discover yourself as an artist?
NR: Well, I’m still very much in the process of discovering myself as an artist, but I would say that it took almost a decade to develop enough confidence as an artist to trust my own instincts.
When I first started painting again, I focused on representational art and strengthening foundational skills. However, I found myself very drawn to abstract art and impressionism. I began experimenting with every style – abstract, realism, impressionism, intuitive painting, and so on. I spent many years frustrated with my work because I was trying so hard to squeeze myself into one single bucket. I would see these artists I admired and want to create work like them, not realizing it had taken them YEARS to hone and develop the unique and personal style I was admiring. At one point during this journey, an art mentor gently reminded me that art is a process that can’t be rushed. She told me that my frustration was normal, and furthermore, I would go on to create hundreds of bad paintings before I arrived at something I liked. I could not comprehend that at the time and thought she was nuts. Guess what? She was 100% right!
Hundreds of paintings later, I’ve finally come to the realization that I’d like to continue developing a style that in my recent works combines both representational and abstract principles. I know I have a long way to go before arriving at this point, but simply having reached this conclusion tells me I am making progress as an artist!
NHN: Which of your projects would you consider to be your favorites? (Pick a top three.)
NR: I love painting nature-inspired art – florals and landscapes. If I have to pick one, my Wild Blooms collection has been my personal favorite project to date. This collection has and continues to be a playground for me to explore my developing style and create wildly colorful and energetic paintings.
I also love creating figurative work, and although I haven’t released a collection of this subject yet, I’m very excited to share that I’m in the midst of developing a new body of work that is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. This collection will bring together all of the elements I’ve been working on for the past several years as well as tie in some cultural elements from my Mexican heritage. I’ll be sharing more very soon on Instagram: @ninaramosart.
NHN: Which of your projects were the most time-consuming/challenging and why?
NR: Alex and Ani commissioned a painting in 2019 to help launch a new collection of chakra-inspired jewelry. I was assigned the heart chakra, or “anahata,” which represents love, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness, among other things. I was given the artistic license to create anything that embodied the spirit of Anahata. I had so much fun experimenting and sketching ideas that I spent way too much time creating a wide range of sketches before landing on my final composition. I’m happy to report that Alex and Ani loved the artwork, and after the promotion ended, the painting was sold and currently lives in CARA Cosmetics’ makeup studio in Maitland.
NHN: What are some of your dream projects?
NR: Ah, this is such a fun question. I would love the opportunity to work with an author or publishing house to create cover art for books. I’m an avid reader, and this would be a dream come true. I also really enjoy working with well-aligned brands, like Alex and Ani, to integrate art into the everyday, whether that is clothing, jewelry, home goods, or wall art.
NHN: What serves as your inspiration on a day-to-day basis?
NR: Anything and everything. It just depends. I’ve created entire collections around a feeling I got while hiking in a new place or seeing a beautiful color combination. Currently, the collection I’m developing is deeply inspired by a health scare I had in the beginning of the year. I’m completely fine now, but it made me look at things differently. And this new perspective launched a brand new body of work that I hope to release this summer.
NHN: Future goals/plans?
NR: Oh, I have so many plans! If I were to narrow it down to a goal I have for this year, it would be to have my own art show to share and connect more with Central Florida art lovers.
To see more of Nina Ramos’ art, check out her website: www.ninaramosart.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram @ninaramosart.
Photos Courtesy of Nina Ramos
