The traditionally drawn artwork of Chris Ramirez embodies a strong sense of mindfulness and contemplative exploration. His drawings seem to burst with imagery and symbolism, inspired by his interest in mythological motifs and universal themes. By asking questions and seeking answers, both through his life and his art practice, Chris is always learning about the ancient stories of the world and applying the insight to his artwork.

MYTHOLOGICAL THEMES
Whether it’s a new medium or a meditation on narratives and stories from the ancient past, Chris’s art is deeply supplemented by his contemplations. The work of Joseph Campbell was Chris’s first exposure to the concept of “comparative mythology,” or the comparison of different cultures and mythologies in an attempt to identify commonalities and shared themes.

“I was reading and writing almost as much as I was drawing, and that influenced the themes I like to do in my artwork. I started to have a new appreciation for these old stories and these old mythologies and universal themes. I fell in love with that."

As for experimenting with new mediums, Chris has drawn and made art for the entirety of his life, which has allowed him to explore and experiment with a range of different mediums and styles to express his ideas. Especially with his experience of being a full-time tattoo artist over the last several years, Chris recognizes the limitations of working on skin and enjoys the flexibility of “working in whatever medium I want, on the paper that I want, with the tools that I want.”

PATIENCE IN THE PROCESS
For some artists, a challenging part of the art process is coming up with the initial idea, and then the rest is simply showing up and spending time with the piece. In Chris’s experience, “Once I figure out what to draw, it’s just laying the bricks down one by one. It’s just putting in the time.” Even with limited personal time due to work, he patiently pushes forward, day by day, to create such compelling pieces of art that he can be proud of. With the mentality that no amount of work is too little or too much a day, Chris tells me, “Even if it’s just making a couple marks, if I put a little bit in everyday, it adds up. It really does.”

ON THE HORIZON
Ultimately, Chris’s fundamental goal is to live a creative life and follow where the creative energy takes him. Up until recently, he never thought pursuing art seriously could even be a possibility before having asked himself “what if…?” Understanding that many things that are worth the effort often require great patience and perseverance helps to reckon with challenges that inevitably arise throughout one’s art journey.

“There’s always a struggle, and there’s always a point where you start questioning what you’re doing and ‘Is it even worth it?’ and you just gotta push through that.” — Chris Ramirez

Follow Chris on Instagram @chrisramirezart
Visit his website at www.chrisramirezart.com