The Artist I Am Now
Of my 39 years of making art the most rewarding and exciting is the one I’m in now. My husband has a love for gardening, I wish to blend his passion with mine by creating large sculptures for gardens and outdoor spaces. Two years ago I began welding classes because iron sculpture appealed to my sensibilities. The teacher asked us to make prototypes of what we wanted to create in welding class and my first prototype excited my instructor so much that she said, Mr. Ramsey do you realize this is a compiling sculpture in its own right? It was at that moment I decided to fully commit to sculpture for two years.
There have been times in my life when patrons were collecting and admiring my work but this is the first time I feel people are in love with what I’m creating as much as I am. I see my artistic future creating sculptures and working my way up to creating large outdoor steel sculptures. My enthusiasm for the future of my art makes me feel the best art is there waiting for me to create, it is thrilling.
My Art story:
Childhood
I was born into a a family of Baptist dairy farmers in East Tennessee. My father became overwhelmed by the pressure of the farm so he sold it and began a new career maintaining farm equipment . I had always felt I wasn't meant to be a country boy so early on I set my mind to leaving home when I graduated high school. My mother and father realized that early on and never stood in my way.
My childhood was dampened by persistent hip pain. Eventually I had major hip surgery at Shriner’s Hospital when I was eleven years old. I was held back from physical activities before and after the surgery, this more than anything caused me to became an introspective and artistic kid. Art was an escape, my sketching and cartooning was what made me stand out, it filled my lonely days living in the rural countryside.
The Dry Years
In the next few years producing artwork trailed off as the pressures of corporate life seemed to strangle my creativity. I was in a loving relationship by then which made that time bearable.
In 2006 the year Hecht's Department Stores closed in the same year I went to Burning Man and it restored my creativity. I was finally an artist again. Thank you Black Rock City.
I began learning how to sew then began doing re-upholstery of antique furniture, making window treatments and interior designs.
I just wasn't ready to paint again. I believe I wasn’t ready to paint so slowly I started moving towards sculpture.
I was in the upholstery business for relatively a short time as a job after Hecht's. I made costumes for my husband and myself for Burning Man into the coming years. I found sewing quite creative but it wasn't really what I would call “my art” but I was getting there.
Art Exhibits Prior To 2009
6/18/1995: TAG Art Show, Absolutely Positive, themed show w/TAG members that were HIV positive, Gallery 200o, 1529 17th St, NW DC.
1995: TAG Art Show, The Too Gay Show, no info available
4/20/1996: TAG Art Show, Turn On Your Masters, Zade Ramsey Curator, Themed Members Show. Herbs Gallery 17th St, DC.
TAG Art Show, The Too Gay Show, no info available
6/24/1999: TAG Art Show, Identity, Gay Members Juried Shows, District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th Street Washington DC.
Education
Even before I graduated from High School I was laying my plans to escape East Tennessee. I had got accepted to Atlanta College of Art, (ACA) I had secured a scholarship that made that possible. ACA was famous for teaching art with conceptual thought as a focus. This conceptional education opened the door to critical thinking which set me apart from many other artist I encountered.
I graduated from Atlanta College of Art with a BFA in 1983. I feel I was reborn during those 4 years. I had never felt so complete and never felt I had a place I truly fit in till then.
I majored in drawing and minored in printmaking. I also directed and acted in video production classes in college and enjoying a bit of Public Access TV fame.
My Comeback
In 2009 I had a show in New Orleans with work I began in 2008. The work I called, The Memory Boxes. It was a proud moment, I had returned to the Art World.
These Memory Boxes are made to penetrate the viewer’s memories and emotions. My goal was to connect the viewer to the family that came before them and the stories they left behind. I feel these stories help shaped who we become. I must concede there is a bit of mischief added into each piece. I spent 7 years concentrating on these Memory Boxes. I found the boxes were very popular but i needed to move on to stand alone sculptures.
Art Exhibits Since 2009
10/29/09 – 11/1/09: Okereda 221 Dauphine St. New Orleans LA, Zade Ramsey’s (one man show).
12/07/09 – 1/29/10: Coldwell Bank 1606 17th St. Washington DC, MCA, (group show).
3/31/10 – 4/27/10: Studio Gallery 2108 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008, (group show).
1/6/12 - 1/29/12: Co-Curated and developed a juried show titled, Artist Warriors, a Post Apocalyptic Adventure). Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301
5/23/12 - 6/17/12: Adah Rose Gallery, 3766 Kensington MD Zade ramsey and Trix Kuijper Show,
5/18/12 - 6/28/12: Artomatic, Crystal City, VA (Art Installation).
4/5/13 - 4/30/13: (Co-Curated and developed a juried show titled: Turn on Your Masters), Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA.
5/7/14 - 5/30/14: (Co-Curated and developed a juried show titled, Portraits in Pop Culture). Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA.
3/2/14 - 3/29/14: Group Show, Art Enables, 2204 Rhode Island, Ave, NE Washington DC.
Professional Life
I moved from Atlanta to Washington DC in 1984 to follow another artist friend to expand our experiences. Life was hard for me in those first years in DC. For a couple of years I created very little art. Around 1988 I began painting again and did some fine large canvases. I really never called myself a surrealist painter but in essence that was my style.
Here I will say I never thought I would support myself making art because I wasn't confident and it seemed like a pipe dream back then. I was by no means independently wealthy.
In 1986 I got a job at Hecht’s Department Stores working at the sign shop. Three years later I became the manager and entered the corporate world. I grew the facility along with the Hecht Company that went from 23 stores when I started to 81 when the company closed in 2006. I was at Hecht's to the closing.
In 1995 I joined the gay DC artist group, Triangle Artist Group, TAG. I was founded by Tim Tate who later started the Washington Glass School. The group would find gallery venues and sponsor group shows. There was always a fundraising and AIDS awareness theme built into the shows.
Sculptures of the Circus
This is the point that I began to show the prototypes sculptures I referenced in, (The Artist I am Now) section. For this show in Cumberland Maryland at the lovely Gilchrist Gallery I worked tirelessly. I create 4 paintings to support the 10 sculptures in the show. I feel the Gilchrist Show was the most fun I have ever had putting together a show. Such a pleasure getting to know the people of Cumberland.
Where I Am Now
4/27/17 - 5/28/17: (Co-Curated and developed a juried show titled, Clowning Around), Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA. (Televised on Voice of America).
3/5/17-3/30/17: Zeitgeist,Curated Show, Hillyer Gallery, 9 Hillyer Court, NW, Washington DC.
6/18/18 - 7/12/18: Zade Ramsey featured artist, CW Gillchrist Museum, Cumberland MD.