Cynthia Ramirez
Artist Statement
Cynthia Ramirez is a multi-media artist who has exhibited her work in numerous local, national, and international exhibitions. This body of work grew out of my exploration of the Star Trek universe. After three exhibitions dedicated to this theme, it has lead me to this exhibition. It occurred to me that one of the most influential characters in the many Star Trek series, was space itself. I have always been in awe of the Hubble Telescope images of deep space. They are truly remarkable. I have painted them prior but only on a small scale.
With the launching of the James Web Space Telescope on December 25, 2021, it has sparked my visual curiosity. “The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope designed primarily to conduct infrared astronomy. The most powerful telescope ever launched into space, its greatly improved infrared resolution and sensitivity will allow it to view objects too old, distant, and faint for the Hubble Space Telescope.” It will literally look back in time and record it. I wait with great anticipation on seeing these rare images.
In the meantime, this exhibition brings forth my interpretations of what could be out there. I also pay homage to the great explorers of the Star Trek universe, depicting them exploring these strange phenomena. Star Trek brought about technology to get us to this point in time in space exploration. QAPLA!
Biography
Cynthia Ramirez is a multi-media artist who has exhibited her work in numerous local, national, and international exhibitions. She received a B.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University (1986) and a M.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from the University of New Orleans (1990). She is a Professor of Fine Art at Southern University at New Orleans and taught visual art at New Orleans Recreation Department Commission (2015-19). She taught eight years in the Talented in the Visual Arts Program for the Orleans Parish Public Schools. She was Program Coordinator for the Art’s Council of New Orleans’ Urban Arts Training Program, a summer job program for youths creating public art in the New Orleans community. She was awarded an Adolph Gottlieb Emergency Assistance Grant and Joan Mitchell Assistance Grant 2006. She has created a Day of the Dead Altar at the Louisiana State Museum: Cabildo, the U.S Mint, The Ogden Museum of art (2012 -15) and the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, LA in November 2006-17. She has served as a panelist for the Visual Artist Fellowship for the Louisiana Endowment for the arts and the National Endowment of the Arts Visual Art Grant panel for art education. She is a founding member of the Second Story Gallery Artist’s Co-op at the New Orleans Healing Center.