The Miami Art Blog by Heike Dempster

Rebeca Raney’s world is filled with fantasy. The New York based artist creates characters inspired by her imagination as well as flora and fauna. She brings them to life via delicate, whimsical drawings and larger than life resin sculptures. Following the success of her Art Basel Miami Beach solo show last December and a collaboration with clothing line Madewell in 2012 Raney talks about her art, new plans for 2013 and her secret to happiness.

Share some of your journey as an artist

I have always made art and done so very happily. It was natural for me to attend consecutive art schools after high school. I first went to RISD for my BFA and then to SVA for my MFA. I take jewelry classes at FIT. Education plays significantly in my journey as an artist.

How would you describe your aesthetic sensibilities?

I appreciate craftsmanship. My drawings can be quick or detailed...I just make certain that the paper is of the highest quality. I have a deep enjoyment of using the best materials. Colorful things make me happy but so does quirky imagery.

The need to work expediently inspires my delicate drawings. I strive for an economy of line when it comes to drawing the figure. I also can get very lost in my drawing and that gives me a meditative satisfaction.

Do you make up stories for the characters you create?

I absolutely make up stories for the characters that I draw. Sometimes they are not explicit or overt but I think about them a lot and consider them to be sentient beings who are thoughtful in their own right. Many contemporary overtly CUTE works are all about the surface. They seem not to have a brain. I like Hello Kitty very much but I don't think she is really thinking a lot or working on her difficult relationship with My Melody.

Which characters do you turn into sculptures?

I choose to make sculptures from the drawings that most interest me. If I am curious about what the back of something might be like or how gravity will impact a piece I will consider making it in three dimensions.

The faces of the sculptures are often covered in intricate embroidery. What appeals to you about the embroidery?

Embroidery is an excellent way to express the emotional quality of the character. It is a very pretty rash that spreads over the sculpture's face. Sometimes, people are into the embroidery exclusively and don't need the clunk and fuss of the character. But the character needs the embroidery.

You create a world of happiness with your art. What is your secret to happiness?

Happiness has a great deal to do with doing precisely what you want. I am a person without faith and religion and so I concentrate on my time in this life on doing exactly what I want. Figuring this out is not always a happy experience. Once I hit on art making and making the kind of drawings and sculptures that I wanted to it was easy to allow my characters to wallow in and evoke pure joy. Happiness is designing your own life.

What are some of the latest projects you have been working on?

I'm collaborating on a line of jewelry with La Selva, an incredible clothing line that uses indigenous Mayan textiles to create gorgeous women's ready-to-wear.

You had a solo show during Art Basel Miami Beach in December. How has that impacted your career?

That show was emblematic of many. many months of the hardest work I have ever done. It allowed me to recognize that I am very capable. I understand that I am making the best work of my career.

Do you have any other news you would like to share?

I'm moving my studio to a wonderful, large space in Brooklyn. I plan to document the new work that I make there on www.raneytown.com.