Maria Ava Totina Ramos
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Born in Thibodaux, LA, raised in Charleston, SC and migrated to GA. I received my formal studio training at the College of Charleston and Fabric Design at the University of Georgia in 1992. I currently live in Conyers, Georgia.
As a teen I was diagnosed Bi-Polar, as a result I missed many social and educational milestones. Learning to live with this emotional handicap has been and is an ongoing process of successes and stumbles. I teach creative design classes to students with similar problems. These classes provide an outlet and structure to help build confidence and this is the most fulfilling art form I have ever experienced. I design mostly in paper, fabric, beads, felt and found objects. My ideas are steeped in Cajun tradition, Victorian beauty, and humor. I feel strongly about educating people in handcrafting techniques now lost to mechanized processing. Hand crafted items take discipline, patience, attention, self-assessment, and growth. The process of manufacture, not so much the physical product, is most important to me. This is why every gallery show presents a completely different theme and art form. When I am shown an image or idea it is my responsibility to bring it forward. It is difficult to take credit for them as I am simply shown what a greater mind wants me to make. The only credit I can take is for listening, watching and learning the techniques needed to bring life into what I’m shown. After the piece is made sometimes I know what it’s about, sometimes it’s made for someone else to “get”. Always, always I look forward to the next “unveiling” in my mind. |
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LOCATIONAtlanta & Conyers, GA
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