Alma Ramirez Artist Statement
From her studio in St. Augustine, Florida, Alma Ramirez recites the poetry of nature—sounds of the ocean, smells in the air, dappled light on the water, colors warmed by the sun— painting arrangements of tones and shapes that speak of emotions, beauty, and peace.
Inspiration for her style came from an unlikely conspiracy between nature and technology when she accidentally fumbled her camera into the water while capturing a panorama. She was disheartened, but the images on the card were wonderfully broken and distorted, showing Alma the landscape from a different perspective that deeply resonated with her as an artist and storyteller. Over the years, Alma has honed and further developed this new way of seeing.
Studying the harmony of colors and light, she layers acrylic paint onto canvas or wood panel, articulating the feelings and mood transmitted by a scene. Through this vision, Alma shares her artistic journey and love of nature with the world.
ALBUQUERQUE LITTLE THEATRE
Monday-Friday 9 AM to 3 PM
With sparkling crystal chandeliers, intricate mosaic tile flooring, majestic arched windows, and carved wooden staircases, Lightner Museum is a show-stopper! The museum opened in 1948, displaying the collections of Otto C. Lightner, which include 19th-century artwork, glassware, sculpture, furniture, stained glass, and antique chandeliers throughout the three floors of exhibits. Originally built as the Hotel Alcazar in 1888 by Standard Oil co-founder Henry Flagler, this beautiful structure was created in the Spanish Renaissance Revival Style. In addition to the Lightner Museum, it also houses St. Augustine City Hall, several antique shops, and Cafe Alcazar, a restaurant that sits in the location of what was once the world’s largest indoor swimming pool.
Beluthahatchee Park is a four-acre park located within the 70-acre tract of land purchased by Stetson Kennedy in 1948 after the 18-acre Beluthahatchee Lake was created by impounding Mill Creek in 1945. This lake meanders through a natural basin and is surrounded by high bluffs, currently owned by the Lake Dwellers Association, a non-profit Florida corporation formed by the lakefront residents. In 1949, the 70-acre tract was subdivided and platted by the owner/developer Stetson Kennedy who recorded the restrictive covenants setting aside land in perpetuity as a wildlife refuge, and stipulating that residential construction be consistent with the developer’s goal of “serving as a working demonstration that human and natural habitat need not be mutually exclusive, but can coexist in harmony.”