Steady 3
Neta Ravid
California
BIOGRAPHY
Neta Ravid - I was born in the Middle East in the early 90’s- brought into a culture filled with controversy, conflict, and war. Being raised in such a stress filled environment shaped me in ways that I am still discovering. As a scared, anxious and depressed teen, I moved to the United States with my parents and siblings, leaving my extended family behind. Being raised under the influence of one culture while learning another produced a deeply rooted identity crisis- one that I still struggle with today. As I grew I became increasingly frustrated with American culture and the systemic sexism, racism and homophobia that permeated within. I found comfort and acceptance in disenfranchised communities while developing an appreciation for people and things that society has deemed as undesirable.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist and an educator, I am a deeply empathetic and healing person with the skill to read the energy in a room and assess the needs of its inhabitants. I was always an artist, but learning to teach art exposed me to many different communities with vastly different needs. This ability to find pain within others and guide them onto a path of healing crystalized and gained clarity — like murky, grit filled water flowing away to reveal the shiny and buffed material submerged. The creation of art is a transformative experience that can act as an avenue of healing and a catalyst for growth. Being immersed in hustle culture just trying to make enough money to live has forced us into a drab existence. An isolated, single-focus lifestyle has caused us to become disconnected from our fellow man and our community. I see this in everyone we meet, people desperate for meaning outside of just survival. I believe that art is the great uniter and can be the vessel for us to regain the severed connection to the creative energy we share with each other and the universe. A vital key to return meaning into our lives lies in healing through shared experiences. It is my goal as an artist and an educator to provide an avenue for people to find community, connection, and ultimately the sense of serenity and peace that escapes us in the struggle to survive.
