Boxed Memories

In The Woods Series: "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"

2012-01-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

“In The wood Series: He Loves Me- He Loves Me Not”, oil on canvas, 48Hx36W in, private collection, MA, USA.

"The oil piece “He Loves Me – He Loves Me Not” is part of a group of paintings called “In The Woods”, in which I work with elements of the small woods that surrounded my first studio in Minnetonka. This series deals with my response to those handsome trees, the multicolored leaves, the sensuous lines of branches that, for almost six years, were an important source of inspiration for me. And, as I realized some time later, influenced my art quite a bit.

Looking through those large windows in my Minnetonka’ studio, I used to feel as if I were inside a Jackson Pollock painting, where colorful small drips coming from the trees would blink directly into my eyes (over the last few years I have had chance to discuss with my mentor and friend painter Marcie Soderman-Olson the multiple ways that those large windows facing the woods have influenced my art). Here in the “ He Loves Me” painting this visual sensation blends into personal memories of romanticism and chivalry. The image that emerged from this connection is this flower bouquet sitting in the middle of the woods, being disassembled as if a young girl was playing the age-old game of “he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not”.

The color palette was inspired by the pastel tones of the historic Art Deco district of Miami Beach. With this painting I had fun exploring the different degrees of values in the delicate hues of the palette I chose. The challenge here was to find the right balance between chaos and harmony. As I reflect on this series, I have come to realize that this tricky balancing act has always been the cornerstone of my works."

The Pompeii Series : Tribute to Pompeii

2011-11-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

This video-letter about my series of encaustic paintings inspired by ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum was exhibited at the ruins of Pompeii in November 2011, during the event in favor to the restauratin and conservation of the Schola Armaturarum, promoted by the dear friends of Comitato Cincinatto Pompeii, Pompei, Italy. It was a huge honor for me and an unique experience. So much so that, until now, I have not yet found the right words to describe it!

One Person Exhibit at Nina Bliese Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 2011

2011-10-31T20:09:00.000-07:00

Art Announcement Summer 2011

2011-08-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Brides of Herculaneum - Close to Visitation

2011-08-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

"Red Sight" Again

2011-08-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all, my work "Red Sight" is featured on the ArtworkNetwork Gallery's August 2011 monthly newsletter and blog. Check that out at :

http://www.artworknetwork.com/blog.php

Interior designer Julie Ann Segal comments on Silvana LaCreta Ravena's artwork "Red Sight"

2011-07-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share a wonderful review interior designer Julie Ann Segal, from Minneapolis based Metropolitan Interiors, wrote about my acrylic piece "Red Sight". This work is currently being displayed at her office. Check that out at: http://www.prlog.org/11534090-interior-designer-julie-ann-segal-comments-on-silvana-lacreta-ravena-artwork-red-sight.html

Encaustic Exhibit at Art Center Morro Bay, California, July 10 - August 14 2011

2011-07-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to invite you to another great exhibit, "Consequential Fusion: Messages in Wax", at the Art Center Morro Bay, located in the stunning city of Morro Bay, California. This show is juried by Dane Goodman, Michael Miller and Daniella Woolf and shows innovative works exploring the wax as an art medium. I am honored to have my paintings "Sagarana", "Fire Bird" and "Acqua Brasilis" featured among cutting edge works created by International Encaustic Artists selected members. The opening reception with the artists is on July 10 , 3:00-5:00, and gallery hours are noon to 4:00pm daily. In addition to the California show, my pieces can also be seen at the Woman Made Galley exhibit "Abstractions", in Chicago, Il, through June 30 (http://womanmade.org/show.html?type=group&gallery=truepoetry2011&pic=1 ) and at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts show "International Contemporary Masters - Vol. 4" in Las Vegas, through July 16th (http://www.snmfa.com/id29.html). I hope you have chance to check those shows out!

Spring+Art+Announcements

2011-04-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody!

When I first came to the US, five years ago,I could not imagine that my art would be featured in so many different announcements:

I'm happy to have my piece "No Strings Attached", oil on canvas, 48x48 in included in the exhibit "Abstractions" at the Woman Made Gallery in Chicago. This exhibit, curated by Sandra Perlow, shows a selection of works with a very contemporary interpretation of what abstraction in art means today. The show runs from May 06 - June 30, 2011, and I hope you can join me at the opening reception on Friday, May 6th, from 6-9pm. More details at http://www.womanmade.org

My piece "Blazon", one of the six works selected for the "International Contemporary Masters -IV" book, is showing in Las vegas at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts through June 4. This exhibit showcases a group of international artists chosen by curator Despina Tunberg for the 4th annual ICM art publication issued in April. For more information go to http://www.snmfa.com

'm honored to be included in the 14th edition of the juried international art series of catalogues "Studio Visit". All the art in this edition was selected by Beth Venn of The Newark Museum, NJ, and my oil pieces "New Mexico", 48x48 in and "Ball 2 - Carnival Party", 60x40 in are featured in the collection. This publication goes directly to curators and gallerists throughout the U.S. as well as to a growing base of art collectors and enthusiasts. Check it out at http://www.studiovisitmagazine.com

Last but not least, I am thrilled to have my painting "Morning Light - Breakfast", acrylic on canvas, 45x55 in, on the cover of Exploring TOSCA magazine, in which I'm the features artist of the Spring edition. This magazine, published quaterly and curated by Gail M Weber, describes hundreds of art events and opportunities in the Twin Cities and Duluth and features the work of local artists. The magazine is also available online at http://www.tctosca.com/magazine.html

Best Regards,

Silvana

Silvana LaCreta Ravena,MFA

www.silvanaravena.com

International Contemporay Masters - IV, 2011 Publications

2011-03-31T18:50:00.000-07:00

International Contemporay Masters - IV, 2011 Publication

If you want to see good works of art, please, take a minute to check out the book "International Contemporary Masters- Volume IV", an art publication curated by Mr. Despina Tunberg, of WWAB publishers, CA, USA, 2011.
The book is a juried annual catalogue featuring a select group of international artists, me included, who are actively working and exhibiting worldwide. High quality images of the art works, bios and artists' statements have been gathered to give a better sense of what we've been creating lately. It is available at major bookstores such as Barnes&Noble and online from Amazon and from WWAB website.

The book is a juried annual catalogue featuring a select group of international artists, me included, who are actively working and exhibiting worldwide. High quality images of the art works, bios and artists' statements have been gathered to give a better sense of what we've been creating lately. It is available at major bookstores such as Barnes&Noble and online from Amazon and from WWAB website.

Works featured in this book: 1) "Blazon", acrylic on canvas, PP Ravena collection; 2) "Acqua Brasilis", encaustic on wood, artist's private collection; 3) "The Holy Fish", encaustic on wood, Tereza Guedes and Jacques Krombauer collection; 4)"Rocky Mountains", oil on canvas, J&J Pepell collection; 5) "Your Eyes and The Sea", encaustic on wood, artist's private collection; 6) "Blue Scene", encaustic on paper, JP Correia collection.

"To create this volume of International Contemporary Masters, we scrutinized literally tens of thousands of works and thousands of artists. The project demands long hours to be complete". (Despina Tunberg, curator)."The fuller the knowledge we have of the person of the artist and the context of the creation, the deeper out appreciation of the work. Thus our approach in ICM." (Thomas Tunberg, editor)
International Contemporary Masters Volume IV, Published in 2011, by World Wide Art Books, www.wwab.com, Despina Tunberg - curator, Santa Barbara, CA, US, ISBN: 978-0-9802079-3-4

TEMPORALITY -2010 WARM Exhibit at the GBB House, Minneapolis, MN

2011-03-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Featured work : "The Pompei Series - Pompeii",

encaustic on wood, 30Hx40W, NFS

Pompeii and Herculaneum are symbols of a long-term memory inscribed on the surface of Earth. As the ashes of Mount Vesuvius transformed so many lives into objects of memory, mementos, I hope that the artistic process transforms fragments of wax and oils into an experience of time and beauty in the mind of the beholder. By activating the cultural memories which are key for the understanding of that episode, I seek to create a reminder to critically reflect upon the knowledge that suffering can, under certain circumstances, defeat time and become a precious tool for understanding who we are and what we do.

This is my art tribute to my Italian background, to which the memory of those who died in the ashes of Mount Vesuvius is very meaningful. As someone once said: we need art because life is not enough.

Silvana LaCreta Ravena,MFA

www.silvanaravena.com

ARTWORK NETWORK FEATURES ARTIST SILVANA RAVENA, Denver, March 2011

2011-03-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

click on the image to enlarge

Some of my oil pieces featured in the show. Sneak Peak of my one person exhibit at Artwork Network Gallery, Denver, March 2011, during the installation.

Artwork Network Gallery Features Silvana Ravena.Sneak Peak of my one person exhibit at Artwork Network Gallery, Denver, March 2011, during the installation.

Sneak Peak of my one person exhibit at Artwork Network Gallery, Denver, March 2011, during the installation.

Sneak Peak of my one person exhibit at Artwork Network Gallery, Denver, March 2011, during the installation. My dear friend Tereza Guedes talking about one of her favorite paintings in the show ("He Loves Me - He Loves Me not", oil on canvas)

Opening night snapshots of my one person exhibit at Artwork Network Gallery, Denver, March 2011

Opening night reception at Artwork Network Gallery: snapshots

Opening night snapshots: the artist ( featured work: Carnival Parade, oil on canvas)

Opening night snapshots: artist Silvana LaCreta Ravena

Opening night snapshots: Persio Ravena and the Krombauer family

Dear friends: Tereza, Jacques and Carolina Krombauer

Opening night snapshots

The three of us: Carolina Krombauer, myself and Tereza Guedes at the Opening reception of Artwork Network Gallery exhibit, Denver, March 2011

Opening night snapshots: viewers and the oils "New Mexico" (left) and "Midnight Summer

Dream"(right)

Opening reception of Artwork Network Gallery exhibit, Denver, March 2011 - snapshots

Opening night snapshots

Opening night snapshots : "Red Sight", acrylic on canvas

Opening night snapshots

Opening night snapshots : Carolina Krombauer and myself

Opening night snapshots

After party: dinner at Maggiano's, Denver, CO

After party: dinner with dear friends at Maggiano's, Denver Co

2011-02-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hopkins Center for The Arts, Off the Wall Showcase, Feb 26 - March18th, Hopkins, MN, US

2011-02-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Dear friends, collectors and art supporters,
I'm pleased to announce my upcoming one person show at the ArtworkNetwork Gallery in Denver, CO. The show runs from March 4- 30th , 2011 and will feature several of my large oil and acrylic pieces. If you happen to be in the area around that time, please, join me for a glass of wine at the opening reception on Friday, March 4th, 5 - 9pm . Online snapshots of the great work the AN Gallery staff are doing with my pieces will be available on my Facebook page after March 5th.
My special "Thank You" to all the AN gallery crew who are turning this into a wonderful opportunity to show my art in Denver!
Hope to see you all there!
Silvana
Silvana LaCreta Ravena, Master in Fine arts,
www.silvanaravena.com

Silvana LaCreta Ravena is a Brazilian-born artist who believes that art is a meditation on life. Her experience as a clinical psychologist and her background as an artist inspired her to explore in more depth those areas where art and academia, theory and practice converge. For Silvana that meant further study, leading to additional graduate degrees in art history, art therapy and a Master’s degree in fine arts. Over the past eighteen years, she has worked in oil, acrylics, watercolors and encaustic, approaching different aspects of the concept of memory. Silvana's non-encaustic pieces are both abstract and figurative, while the encaustic paintings are completely abstract. In her art work she abstracts the usual conventions of image to reflect on the connections between meanings and images. She creates a sense of ambiguity between the object and its intelligibility to convey her concern with the ways in which we formulate the meanings and the values that structure our visual perception. Therefore, drawing upon her training as a psychologist and academic, she incorporates into her work a variety of theoretical ideas, thus infusing it with another range of textures, beyond the pictorial. Freudian concepts such as the unconscious, repression, and latent/manifest content are particularly important to her paintings. Such a range serves to broaden her work, giving it a more fluid, open-ended character that invites the viewer to appreciate it in his/her unique way.
As a psychologist she consider the expression of texture as a tool to reach profound levels of the psyche. As an artist, she is deeply interested in the continuous feedback between matter and sensation, exploring the boundaries of two and three dimensions. Images, as Silvana points out, are a psychological experience of pleasure, culturally determined and socially legitimated. Ultimately, she says, "my overall intention is to give the viewer an opportunity to experience the presence of the painting as a critical response to the ongoing dematerialization of the reality of our contemporary world".

2011-01-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

I invite you to see the 2011 edition of Arizona Aqueous Exhibit featuring water based media works created by artists from all over the US, some of my watercolors included. The show runs from January 13- March13th at the Tubac Center for the Arts, Arizona. Opening Reception is Thursday, January 13, 5-7pm.
Featured image: Silvana LaCreta Ravena, The Race, watercolor on Arches, 26x40 inches.

2011-01-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to share that my paintings "Golden Gaps", "Rocky Mountains" and "Blazon" won an Award of Excellence at the "Palm- Art Award 2010 Art Domain", in Leipzig, Germany, December 2010. This is a great incentive to my work. Thank you to you all at Art Domain Publishers!

2010-11-30T07:10:00.000-08:00

SLR, Blue Eternity, encaustic and oil on wood, 47x63 in. ( 120x156 cm aprx), J. P. private collection, Minneapolis, MN, US

2010-11-23T16:33:00.001-08:00

Artist Talk at the Bloomington Art Center, Bloomington, MN, October 2010. WARM Mentor Marcia Soderman-Olson and myself.

“Exhibit: WARM – THE ART OF MENTORING”

Ines Greenberg Gallery at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, Sep-Oct. 2010

Artist Talk: Silvana LaCreta Ravena

I am a Brazilian-born artist who moved to the Twin Cities in 2006. I was educated as a psychologist and also hold degrees in art therapy , art history and a master in fine arts.

Memory has been the constant subject of my paintings. I became particularly interested in this subject during my practice as a clinical psychologist, an experience that helped me to infuse my art works with principles based on different lines of thoughts in psychology. For instance, some Freudian concepts, ideas from the Psychology of Gestalt about visual perception and some Jungian concepts are particularly important to my work. For me, image is a psychological experience of pleasure, culturally determined and socially legitimated.

Since memory is a complex concept, I approach this idea from different perspectives according to the series I’m working on. For instance, in my series “The Brasilianas” I explore my personal memories of Brazil whereas in another series called “The Pompeii Series” I reflect on historical memory, based on the tragic events involving the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Still in another series called “The Boxed Memories”, I explore the connections between cognitive and involuntary memory, based on the influence of the aerial views in the process of abstracting images. If you ever are interested in seeing those images, please, go to www.silvanaravena.com

I’ve been around for a while, and over those years I’ve worked with different types of media such as acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, oil, encaustic and batik. I love working with wax and have explored encaustic in a variety of ways, surfaces and possibilities. I am currently working with wax and oil, and am particularly interested in the qualities of these two media that make the passage of time more visible. From my perspective, the passage of time is intimately associated with the concept of memory and makes clear the reason why memory is so important to our psyche and culture, memory is the way we try to overcome the impermanence of life.

I brought to this WARM show a recent work called “New México”, an oil on canvas, in which I tried to convey the difficult harmonies resulting from NM’s complex history, the almost impossible dialectical balance between the ancient Indian wisdom, the heritage of the old pueblos and highly technological research. Here I was moved by the contrasting landscapes reverberating contrasting realites, glazed by a veil of mystery.

This work is particularly significant for this exhibit, because one of the most important outcomes of my mentorship with Marcia Soderman-Olson was resuming my work with oil medium. The series of paintings in which I use oil exclusively is based on the memories of my recent travels around the US. In this series, as in “New México”, I keep the same approach to the image, using many layers and heavy textures, but here I give much more attention to colors than I used to give in my encaustic work. I keep the same methodology for creating my images, departing from aerial view studies to figure out where I want to go.

Finally, I’d like to point out that both encaustic and oil help me to intensify the physicality of my paintings. This is a very important element in my work. As a psychologist, I consider the expression of texture as a tool to reach profound levels of the psyche. As an artist, I am deeply interested in the continuous interplay between matter and sensation, exploring the boundaries of two and three dimensions. The overall intention of my work is to give the viewer an opportunity to experience the presence of the painting as a critical response to the ongoing dematerialization of the reality of our contemporary world.

Silvana LaCreta Ravena

“Th

WARM show and Everyday Friends Art Blog

2010-09-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Fellow artist and blogger Chris Madsen kindly highlighted my work along with some other awesome fellow WARM artists who are currently exhibiting at the Ines Greenberg Gallery in the Bloomington Center for the Arts, Bloomington, MN. Check out the wonderful job she is doing on her blog at:
http://www.EverydayFriendsArt.wordpress.com.

WARM Mentor - Protegee Exhbition at Bloomington Art Center

2010-08-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

Silvana LaCreta Ravena, “New Mexico”, oil on canvas, 48x48 inches

In this painting I explored the interplay between beauty and drama, inspired by a visit to the Northern part of NM. Here I tried to convey the difficult harmonies resulting from NM’s complex history, the almost impossible dialectical balance between the ancient Indian wisdom, the heritage of the old pueblos and highly technological research. Contrasting landscapes reverberating contrasting realities glazed by a veil of art and mystery.

The Art of Mentoring
WARM Mentor Program Exhibition
September 3 - October 8/2010
Reception: Friday, September 17, 6-9pm
Artists Talks: Sep. 25 at 10:am, October 7, 7:00pm
Ines Greenberg Gallery at the Bloomington Theater and Art Center
1800 W Old Shakopee Road,
Blodayomington, MN, 55431
Mon to Friday : 8:00am to 10pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm to 10:00pm

New Art Publication: Who is Who in Visual Arts

2010-08-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Friends and Collectors,

I'm happy to announce that my art works and art profile are featured in one more deluxe art publication : "Who is Who in Visual Arts- 2010-2011", curated by art Ulrich Goette Himmelblau, Art Domain Whois Verlag publishers, Leipzig, Germany.

The book shows 100 international artists working in painting, graphic arts, digital arts and sculpture and it is published in both English and German versions. This is a great source of recommendation to the art connoisseur who seeks to approach contemporary art with responsibility and integrity.

2010-07-10T09:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Supporters,
It is with a great pleasure that I can share a wonderful review of my work, at the MinnetonkaCenter for The Arts 2010 Biennial, one of my current exhibits. This review was written by Mary Abbe, an art critic for the Start Tribune, one of the major newspapers in Minnesota. If you would like to read the article, here is the link http://www.startribune.com/bios/10644306.html
article's title: "Meditations on Light and Form"
Featured work: The Holy Fish, encaustic on birch wood panel, 24x24 inches

MCA 2010 Biennial, Minneapolis, MN, Photos of the opening reception

2010-06-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

The opening of the MCA 2010 Biennial was really great! Mr. Bowman, the exhibit curator, put together a diverse and upscale quality show. I was honored to exhibit my works along with others of such talented artists and very happy to notice that one of my pieces, the oil "Breakthrough Landscape" was hung on a place of maximum visibility, just right by the entrance door. Wonderful! in addition to that , dear friends attended the reception, helping to make the evening a blast!

The Minnetonka Center for the Arts 2010 Beinnial - Minneapolis, MN

2010-06-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that several of my encaustic pieces and my oil paintings were selected to The Minnetonka Center for the Arts' 2010 Biennial Exhibition. The show is drawn from the work of artists throughout the region and includes architectural studies, landscape, still-life and non-objective imagery in a range of styles and media.
Opening Reception on Thursday, June 24, 6-8pm!

Gostaria de dividir minha alegria em ter sido selecionada para integrar a ediçao 2010 da Biennal do Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Minneapolis, USA. Um grupo de tres pinturas em encaustica juntamente com mais tres de meus oleos foram escolhidos. A MCA Biennial eh uma exposiçao de vanguarda que objetiva mostrar em maior profundidade a obra de artistas da regiao do Meio Oeste dos Estados Unidos. Este ano a bienal mostra a obra de apenas 9 artistas e ficará aberta ao público de 24 de Junho a 22 de Julho. Como de costume, fotos do vernissage/show estarão no meu blog e Facebook.

The selected pieces are:

" Rocky Mountains (Aspen)", oil on canvas, 36x48 inches

"The Ball", oil on canvas, 36x26 inches

"LAW", encaustic on birch wood, 46x24 inches

" Breakthrough Landscape", oil on canvas, diptych, 48x30 inches total

"The Holy Fish - Vertical", encaustic on birch wood, 24x24 inches

"The Holy Fish", encaustic on birch wood, 24x24 inches

Minnetonka Center for the Arts 2010 Biennial - June 24-July 22, 2010
Monday & Friday : 9 AM- 5 PM
Tuesday-Thursday: 9 AM- 8PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 1 PM
Closed Sunday

MAC
2240 North Shore Drive, Wayzata, MN, 55391
www.minnetonkarts.org
952.473.7361, ext.16

AH GALLERY OPENING NIGHT

2010-06-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Make your own digital slideshow

2010-05-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

Works featured at the Artist Haven Gallery group show in June 1-30, 2010:

"Red Sight", acrylic on canvas, 72 x 46 total, triptych

Acrylic work inspired by a Brazilian marine landscape. Here I interpreted the color of the sea according to its emotional resonance, which is amplified by the narrative quality embedded in the division of space.

" Nocturne Landscape", mixed media on canvas, 40x30 inches

This is a piece of a group of works in which I reflect upon the questions of reproducibility and authorship in painting. By working over a giclee copy of one of my acrylic paintings, and using the ancient art form of encaustic, the fist technique in painting, I transform the copy/reproduction into an original piece. The process relates to concepts like the passage of time and cultural memory, interconnecting with art history and all the art market questions that are implied.

"Mid Night Summer Dream", oil, on canvas, 40x55 inches

Named after Shakespeare's play, this work is pure delight. Here I tried to convey my memories of a beautiful summer night in Brazil, the eroticism, the joy and all of what appeals to the senses.

Brides of Herculaneum

2010-05-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

The encaustic painting series called "The Brides of Herculaneum" is a reflection on the connections between fragility and joy, from the perspective of the women psychology.It is based on my research on the tragedy of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, covered by the vulcan Mont Vesuvius in 79Ad. In these paintings I've explored a non-conventional way of working in the ancient art form of encaustic approaching the concept of painting as a dialogue between 2 and 3 dimension. While encaustic artists usually emphasize transparency in working with the wax, I like to explore volume and drama,creating "relief-paintings" that evoke subconcious levels of memories and emotions. Images, for me, are a psychological experience of pleasure, culturally determine and socially legitimated.

Featured work: "Herculaneum", mixed media, 36x70 inches total, triptych, Mrs. Rosa Manile Collection, Brazil

2010-05-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Some of my works will be featured at the Artists Haven Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, June 1-30, 2010. Opening reception on June 5th, 6-9pm. In this section " Red Sight", 47x72 in

SELECTED WORKS

2010-05-08T20:46:00.001-07:00

I am an artist originally from Brazil, who believes that art is a meditation on life. My experience as a clinical psychologist and my background as an artist inspired me to explore in more depth those areas where art and academia, theory and practice converge. For me that meant further study, leading to additional graduate degrees in art history, art therapy and a Master’s degree in fine arts.

Over the past fifteen years, I have worked in oil, acrylics, watercolors and encaustic, approaching different aspects of the concept of memory. My non-encaustic pieces are both abstract and figurative, while the encaustic paintings are completely abstract. In my pieces I abstract the usual conventions of image to reflect on the connections between meanings and images. I create a sense of ambiguity between the object and its intelligibility to convey my concern with the ways in which we formulate the meanings and the values that structure our visual perception. Therefore, drawing upon my training as a psychologist and academic, I incorporate into my work a variety of theoretical ideas, thus infusing it with another range of textures, beyond the pictorial. Freudian concepts such as the unconscious, repression, and latent/manifest content are particularly important to my paintings. Such a range serves to broaden my work, giving it a more fluid, open-ended character that invites the viewer to appreciate it in his/her unique way.

As a psychologist I consider the expression of texture as a tool to reach profound levels of the psyche. As an artist, I am deeply interested in continuous feedback between matter and sensation, exploring the boundaries of two and three dimensions. Images, for me, are a psychological experience of pleasure, culturally determined and socially legitimated. Ultimately, my overall intention is to give the viewer an opportunity to experience the presence of the painting as a critical response to the ongoing dematerialization of the reality of our contemporary world.

Opening Reception evening at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts,

2010-05-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Opening Reception evening at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts, Las Vagas, NE. International Contemporary Masters Exhibit, April, 2010.

EXHIBITION OF “INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY MASTERS” TO PREMIERE IN LAS VEGAS

2010-05-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

EXHIBITION OF “INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY MASTERS” TO PREMIERE IN LAS VEGAS

April 17, 2010 - Las Vegas, NV - World Wide Art Books and the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts are presenting the second of three shows featuring the artists from the 2010 edition of the annual art publication, International Contemporary Masters. Like the book itself, the exhibition will join together and celebrate the work of groundbreaking artists from around the world, who are paving the way in innovation and technique. The show will run from April 17 through June 5.

Visit this link to see the first of the 3 shows at the Southern Nevada Museum of Art in Las Vegas.

Featured Work: The Archer, by Silvana LaCreta Ravena, acrylic on canvas, 45x55in.

Artists from 25 Countries around the world are participating.

EVENT DETAILS:

The exhibition starts April 17 and ends June 5

Curator: Despina Tunberg

Address: Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts

450 Fremont St., Las Vegas NV 89101

Neonopolis Center

Tel: 702 382 2926

Members Reception: April 17, 2010 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm

For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Despina Tunberg at 1-805-683-3899 or dt@wwab.us. You may also log on to World Wide Art Books at www.wwab.us or the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts www.snmfa.com

If you wish to exclude yourself from this mailing list, please send an e-mail message to

ktun@wwab.us and put “unsubscribe” in the subject line of your message

Overview

2010-05-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

I am an artist originally from Brazil. My experience as a clinical psychologist and my background as an artist inspired me to explore in more depth those areas where art and academia, theory and practice converge. For me that meant further study, leading to additional graduate degrees in art history, art therapy and a Master’s Degree in fine arts.

Women and Water Rights: Rivers of Regeneration ( Exhbit at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, March 2010)

2010-03-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

Water Bottle Band
Native American Water Ritual
Curious work!
Water Bottle Band
Works by international artists. One of my favorite works.
Work by my dear friend artist Marcia Soderman-Olson
People mingling at the opening night.
My work, "Acqua Brasilis", encaustic on wood board, 24 x24 inches
My work and myself at the opening night.
One of my favorite works.

People at the opening.
People and works!
People and works1
People and works!
Wall featuring international echo activists who are speaking in favor of free access to water worldwide.
"Women and Water Rights: Rivers of Regeneration" - Opening night, Feb 26th 2010

"Ball 2 - The Carnival Party"

2009-07-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

Silvana LaCreta Ravena, “Ball 2- The Carnival Party”, oil on canvas, 60x40 in, 2009. Mr. and Mrs. Philip and Linda A. art collection.

After “The Ball”, one of my oil paintings at Xanadu Gallery, appeared in the Red Dot newsletter, a couple of art collectors from Massachusetts, Mr. and Mrs. Philip and Linda Angelone, contacted me to commission a painting for their recently refurbished house in Middleton.

The Angelones and I exchanged several e-mails discussing details for the painting. After the preliminary studies and more e-mails were exchanged, I developed a clear vision of the future painting. The refined sensibility for color Mr. and Mrs Angelone demonstrated inspired me to create a scene based on Brazilian carnival private parties, well-known for their exquisite, colorful costumes. Two months later, “Ball 2 – The Carnival Party”, an oil painting depicting a happy couple surrounded by confetti and serpentines was delivered to their house in Massachusetts.

This turned out to be a very rewarding experience, through which the Angelones and I developed a very meaningful client-artist relationship. Commissions can be very challenging, but when you are given the opportunity to work with such understanding clients, it makes it all worthwhile.

Silvana L. Ravena, June/2009

Mr. Philip A. - comment on "Ball 2- Carnival Party - , oil on canvas, 60x40 in, by Silvana LaCreta Ravena:

"My wife and I had been searching for a painting to anchor our collection displayed in our family room. As a recent purchaser of the Xanadu gallery, we are privy to new artist's works from time to time. One Sunday morning, I recieved an email from Xanadu featuring Silvana La Creta's work. Needless to say, it was absolutely spectacular. My wife and I were drawn to it immediately. After a short discussion, we decided to call Silvana and see whether we could commission here to paint us a painting to anchor our collection.

This began one of the most rewarding relationships we have experienced. From the first email we sent to all the collaboration we had throughout the process, Silvana listened to our vision and she provided the inspiration and incredible talent to create a wonderful painting that we will enjoy for years to come. I was amazed at how easy the process worked and I was actually commenting to Silvana how we are going to miss our periodical updates about our painting. It just may be that we have to have her paint us another original painting and original ! If your thinking of commissioning an artist as talented and dedicated as Silvana to create a work of art that is as timeless as this, I would say that it is a very rewarding and satisfying experience, one that I would do again in a heart beat".

Work and comments shown at Xanadu Gallery newsletter, first week of July/2009

http://www.xanadugallery.com

MEMORY MOVES - SOLO SHOW 2009 ( INVITATION)

2009-05-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

" Memory Moves"

Solo show by the artistSilvana LaCreta Ravena
Bohlander Arts Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, USA
June 20 to August 15 2009

featured work : "Amazonia" , encaustic on baltic birch, 24"x24", 2009
BOHLANDER ARTS
3011 36th Ave. So., Mpls., MN 55406
http://www.bohlanderarts.blogspot.com
612-721-6438

Some Sketches in Exhibit in New York and Three Encaustic Works Shown in Minneapolis

2009-03-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Sketch for a female figure- sketch#2", graphite on paper, 11"x8" (22x16cm), 1996, currently in dispaly at APW Gallery, NYC, through May 1st/09

"Sketch for a female figure, sketch# 3", graphite on paper, 11"x8 (22x16cm), 1996, currently in diplay at APW Gallery, NYC, through May1st/09

"Sketch for a female figure - sketch #1", graphite on paper, 11"x8" (22x 16cm), 1996, currently in diplay at APW Gallery, NYC, trough May 1st/09

"Sketch for a female figure # 05", graphite on paper, 11"x8" (22x16cm), 1996

"Sketch for A female figure", graphite on paper, 11"x8" (22 x 16 cm), 1996, currently in display at APW Gallery,NYC, NY, through May 1st.

"The Brasilianas Series - LAW", encaustic on plywood, 46"x27" (100 x 50 cm), 2008, currently in display at Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins, Mn, through May 13th

" The Brasilianas Series - Mirror", encaustic on plywood, 46"x 27" ( 100 x 50cm), 2008, currently in disply at Hopkins Center for the Art, Hopkins, MN, through May 13th/09

"The Boxed Memories Series - Box # 22", encaustic on plywood, 60"x 40" (120 x 80 cm), 2008
currently in exhibit at : "WARM Chronicles ", Minneapolis Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, through May, 31st, 2009

Works in Exhibit in New York/ March 2009

2009-03-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Works currently in disply at the APW Gallery, NYC
March 6-31/2009

The Pompeii Series - Labirynth"

Encaustic on canvas, 12 x 12 in, 2009

"The Pompeii Series - Chairs"

Encaustic on canvas, 12 x12 in, 2009

"The Pompeii Series - Odeion ( Theater)"

Encaustic on canvas, 12 x 12 in, 2009

" The Pomepii Series - Cymbalos to Isis"

Encaustic on canvas, 12 x 12 in, 2009

These works are part of a group of encaustic paintings called " The Pompeii Series" , in which I reflect on the tragic destiny of the ancient Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, covered by the vulcan Vesuvius in 79 AD. This is about vestiges and history. Here I explore Freud’s analysis of the layers of lava covering the two cities as a metaphor for the human process of storing memories.

“ Painting and Words : The Poems of 1980’s”

2009-03-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

The Boxed Memories Series - Box # 06

Encaustic and mixed media on plywood

In much of my artwork, words are blended into the wax. They give materiality to my ethereal memories. In some cases they are also vestiges of a distant past, as in my series of encaustic paintings called “The Boxed Memories Series”. This series originated with a group of photos of the poems I wrote during the 1980’s, exploring my own creative process. I photographed not only the poems themselves but also the different versions, studies and drafts that preceded each work.

While taking those shots, I realized that, particularly in the draft, I would consistently play with the words, both with their meanings and their letters. I would explore different ways of writing, move the sentences around, make unusual connections between them, explore the calligraphy as a drawing, cut, add, invert the letters and so forth. I was certainly looking for ways of multiplying their meaning, pushing the boundaries of the poem. One of the most significant characteristics of my poetic work of the 1980’s was this interplay between meaning and visual sign, the significant and the signified.

Some of my poems could even be labeled as poem-objects, since space and materiality were intensely investigated. As defined by Decio Pignatari, professor of semiotics, in some poems, space, as in painting, plays a fundamental role and is crucial for the articulation of meaning.

Similarities and contrasts, presence and absence, distance and proximity, length of the letters, repetition of sounds; in my poems of the 1980’s all that was part of the way I would approach the poetic message. I would try to enhance the impact of my poems by using the letters of the words to explore the surface of the sheets of my notebook. As Professor Pignatari highlights, poems that are not linear offer various possibilities for reading that do not necessarily obey the traditional Western horizontal direction of reading and writing. These poems have both a melodic connection between the elements of the poem, defined by the horizontal direction, and a vertical orientation of reading.- the harmonica. They often use the space as an element to break with the standard rules of grammar.

WORDS IN WAX

2009-03-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

In many of my artworks, words are blended to the wax. They are a form of giving materiality to my own ethereal memories. In some cases they are also vestiges of a distant past, as in my series of encaustic paintings called “The Boxed Memories Series”. This series originated with a group of photos of the poems I wrote during the 1980’s, exploring my own creative process. I photographed not only the poems themselves but also the different versions, studies and scratches that preceded each

While taking those shots I realized that, particularly in the scratches, I would consistently play with the words, with either their meanings and their letters. I would explore different ways of writing, place the sentences in different directions, make unusual connections among them, explore the calligraphy as a drawing, cut, add, invert the letters and so forth. I was certainly looking for ways of multiplying their meaning, pushing the boundaries of the poem. One of the most significant characteristic of my poetic work of the 1980’s was this interplay between meaning and visual sign, significant and signified
Some of my poems could even be labeled as poems-object., since space and materiality were intensely investigates. As defined by professor of Semiotics, Decio Pignatari, in some poems, space, as in painting, plays a fundamental role and it is crucial for the articulation of meaning..

Similarities and contrasts, presence and absence, distance and proximity, length of the letters, repetition of sounds; in my poems of the 1980’s all that was part of the way I would approach the poetic message. I would try to enrich the impact of my poems by using the letters of the words to explore the surface of my notebook’s sheet. As Professor Pignatari highlights, poems that are not linear offer various possibilities of reading that not necessarily obey the Western traditional horizontal direction of writing and reading. These poems have both a melodic connection among the elements of the poem, defined by the horizontal direction, and a vertical orientation of reading.- the harmonica. They often use the space in which they are inscribed and break with the normal grammar sense.

The Boxed Memories Series

2009-03-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

"The Boxed Memories Series - Box# 10"

encaustic on plywood, 46" x 63", 2006

Over the past ten years, I’ve worked mainly with beeswax and, more recently, with the art form of encaustic. This medium, and more specifically, wax, is intensely related to memory not only for its historical significance as one of the first techniques in painting, but also for its plastic qualities and procedures. What makes the encaustic unique is the application of heat between layers of brushstrokes. Heat binds each layer to the layer applied before it, creating a rich and complex surface. To me, this art form is reminiscent of the process we use to store memories. As an ancient Roman painter once said, encaustic means “to paint with fire”, since the mixture must be kept hot while working with it. Part of the creative process includes preparing the paint oneself, which results in a very personal type of medium. Encaustic is a durable medium; it was one of the first techniques of painting, commonly used from the Antiquity until Middle Age, and was reintroduced to the contemporary art scene by Jasper Jones.

I work with encaustic in a variety of ways, exploring different surfaces and possibilities. I am particularly interested in the qualities of the wax that make the passage of time more visible.From my perspective, wax is a sensitive organic material that allows me to express the impermanence of life and yet. may be enjoyed by many generations to come. For all its delicate appearance, encaustic will last forever.

About the Boxed Memories Series

2009-03-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

I am a Brazilian artist who believes that art is a language to reflect on the world. Over the past ten years my work has dealt with the concerto of memory and, therefore, with the connections between meaning and image. I became interested in these connections during my work as a clinical psychologist. This question led me to study and work with art therapy for many years.

I received my post-graduate degree in art history and proceeded to teach, including positions in the Art Therapy Department of Sedes Sapientiae Institute and Santa Marcelina College, among others in Brazil. The courses I taught focused on using various art techniques in order to provide a more complete experience of the concepts and periods of art history, sometimes also establishing connections between the collective art history and the development of personality.

I grew deeply interested in the work of female Brazilian artists. This need to retrieve a part of the historical memory of Brazilian art led me to a Master’s Degree in production, theory and criticism in visual arts. As part of these studies I did in-depth research on memory and the relationship between meanings and images. This reflection became the center of my artistic work.

Currently I am presenting the encaustic series called “The Boxed Memories Series”, a group of 25 paintings and 10 aerial photographs representing my investigation of the connection between aerial photographs and the dynamic of abstraction in painting. For this project, I worked with 236 aerial photographs taken to document my trips between Brazil and Minnesota in 2005/2006 in conjunction with my move to the Twin Cities. Those photographs allowed me to explore the sense of ambiguity of images that comes from the work with a non-frontal perspective.

This idea came to me when I was photographing my visual poems written during the 1980’s for a Brazilian catalogue. Depending on the angle I was taking, the letters of the poems I was seeing were totally transformed into visual signs, drawings and the meaning of each word was no longer important. I realized that I was taking aerial photos of the poems.

The “ Boxed Memories Series”, thus, mainly deals with the idea of abstracting the typical conventions of image in order to reflect on the distinction between the object and the ways it is perceived. I used both the structural and interpretative elements of the aerial photograph as a method for abstracting the general conventions of representational image, exploring the frontiers between form and non-form, gestalt and ambiguity. I was in search of a painting whose production and reception would include an existential position other than that of the subject standing frontally facing the world., emphasizing physicality and continuous rapport between matter and sensation.

This is why I chose wax and the encaustic technique as my medium. Its drama and plasticity allowed me to explore the boundaries between two and three dimension and the concept of painting as object. Historically, the encaustic technique, and more specifically, wax, has been intensely connected to the concept of memory, which was the core idea that evolved from working with both frontal and non-frontal perspectives.

For this project I studied both the Freudian theory and the Rhetoric topographic model of good memory which led me to interpret memory as a visual archive of signifier and signified, a territory of connections between places (the boxes/signifier) and images (the paintings/signified).

My references here were the ideas of the French critic Phillipe Dubois, the reflections of American critic Rosalind Krauss, the theory of the psychoanalyst S. Freud, writings of the Roman statesman Marcus Tulius Cicero and the art work of American photographer Alfred Stieglitz. The “Boxed Memories Series”, thus, shows the paths of my quest for understanding the arbitrary meanings of images.

SLR, 2008

.

The Poetics of Memory

2009-03-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

Memory has been the constant subject of my paintings over the last fifteen years. In the layers of material, in the glazes and the incisory cuttings that I deliberately left on the surfaces on my work with watercolor, wearable art, silk painting, batik, acrylic, oil, wax and mixed media, personal memories have interacted with the painting process itself. It is the way I’ve been reflecting on the practice of painting and witnessing its diversity of approaches and creative ways of connecting meaning and image. Memory, for me, is this territory of connections between meanings and images.

Working with many layers of material and the successive coats of wax allows me to create a sense of ambiguity in my images, showing or disguising the elements in their blend with the wax, which I relate either to memory or to my search for intellectual openness. This methodology of abstracting the general conventions of representational image, the overlapping of layers and the accumulation of media help me to suggest a sense of defamiliarization related to the images I’m creating.. I intend to provoke a feeling of ambiguity in the viewer as a reminder of the arbitrary relationship between the object and its meaning. Thus, my work deals with the idea of abstracting the usual conventions of image in order to reflect on the fissure between the object and its intelligibility. I am concerned with the ways in which we formulate the meaning and the values that structure our visual perception, and therefore the paths we follow in interpreting visuality. I usually work with series of paintings, dealing with an interplay among history, psychology and art. Investigating various aspects of the concept of memory, I seek to stimulate the interaction between past and present, culture and individuality as possibilities of reflection and transformation. Image, for me, is a product of looking at and actively seeing an object which is a psychological experience of pleasure, culturally conditioned and socially legitimized.

Over the past ten years, I’ve worked mainly with beeswax and, more recently, with the art form of encaustic. This medium, and more specifically, wax, is intensely related to memory not only for its historical significance as one of the first techniques in painting, but also for its plastic qualities and procedures. What makes the encaustic unique is the application of heat between layers of brushstrokes. Heat binds each layer to the layer applied before it, creating a rich and complex surface. To me, this art form is reminiscent of the process we use to store memories. As an ancient Roman painter once said, encaustic means “to paint with fire”, since the mixture must be kept hot while working with it. Part of the creative process includes preparing the paint oneself, which results in a very personal type of medium. Encaustic is a durable medium; it was one of the first techniques of painting, commonly used from the Antiquity until Middle Age, and was reintroduced to the contemporary art scene by Jasper Jones.

I work with encaustic in a variety of ways, exploring different surfaces and possibilities. I am particularly interested in the qualities of the wax that make the passage of time more visible. The wax I use in my paintings is like a metaphor of our maturing skin. From my perspective, wax is a sensitive organic material that allows me to express the impermanence of life and yet. may be enjoyed by many generations to come. For all its delicate appearance, encaustic will last forever.

Finally, the art form of encaustic helps me to intensify the physicality of the painting. As a psychologist, I consider the expression of texture as a tool to reach profound levels of the psyche. As an artist, I am deeply interested in continuous interplay between matter and sensation, exploring the boundaries of two and three dimensions. My overall intention is to give the viewer an opportunity to experience the presence of the painting as a critical response to the ongoing dematerialization of the reality of our contemporary world.

Silvana LaCreta Ravena