We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia “Liv” Ramirez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia “Liv”, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’m the happiest I’ve ever been because of risk-taking! To me, risk-taking is exciting because you never know what the outcome will be and that’s the best part! It’s ok to live a little off the edge as long as you have big faith in God and yourself. My courage can only come from a higher spiritual source.

Risk-taking has taken the primary role in my life because for me, buying a one-way ticket to New York back on New Years’ Eve 2016 was the beginning of taking the biggest chance of my life! To begin the task of working on my Bachelor in Fine Arts Degree at age fifty-three sounded daring but I was all in! Relocating to the big apple was colossal! Taking this chance changed my life forever.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Painting with rainwater, ocean water, and water from my travels and the travels of family and friends sets my work apart. I also paint with elements of nature to add to the narrative of my paintings. I’m most proud of being chosen as staff favorite for a painting I submitted to the City of Manhattan Beach in June 2020 for the centennial celebration of their pier. I was featured in their exhibition and book, Also, I’m most excited about exhibiting three paintings this May 2022 in Luxembourg! I’m represented by VanGogh Art Gallery in Spain! Having my art account on Instagram has opened the door to exhibiting in Europe! I have other galleries reaching out because they discovered me on IG. Those hashtags really do work. Getting to this point was challenging in so many ways. I sacrificed family and friend time to focus on my full-time studies and work. I blocked out a social life to build up my painting collection. I made painting my priority and still do. I put in the time and then some. I overcome challenges by meditating and praying, walking in nature, stepping back a bit, and getting back on the horse. The biggest lesson I have learned is hard work really does pay off. It may sound a bit cliche but it is true. I would love the world to know the love I have for our planet’s environmental issues, social issues, and culture. Also, the love for people I see whether I’m traveling or just driving around, I paint people that attract my attention. My brand is about being contemporary, being in the now, real-time, whatever is happening at that moment, I paint. I love to capture time because I may not always be here but my art will tell my stories and live on.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When one of my friends from New York comes to visit for a week, the itinerary consists of visiting the ocean, walking the strand, and having lunch in a restaurant overlooking the beach. One of my favorite restaurants is in Redondo Beach, CA, The Chart House Seafood Restaurant. It is a waterfront restaurant built-in 1969. I love treating to seafood cuisine. We would eat and drink there. We would hang out down by the beach the restaurant overlooking the sea waves. We could walk the strand. We would hang out near Redondo and Hermosa beach, and do some shopping. I love the ocean, so to me, it’s a relaxing place to visit and hang out. The sunsets are colorful and exciting there. In fact, the sunset colors inspired the painting that was the staff favorite. Checking out the Palos Verdes Peninsula is beautiful and breathtaking as well, with lots of little shops and places to eat. The best time ever would be the South Bay area just because whatever you’re doing you’re breathing in the fresh ocean air. It’s always fun to people watch on the strand. This may sound boring to some but for me, the ocean is life, and every chance I get, I’m there!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give my first shoutout to Tiffany and previous co-workers at Apple, Manhattan Beach, CA. She gave my name to Mike on the editorial staff of Shoutout. My next shoutouts go to my parents, blessed to still have them both see me graduate with honors from Otis College of Art and Design in May 2019. And of course to Eddie, Elyssa, Emily, and Maliyah. My three adult kids and granddaughter. Lastly, to all my friends and family that supported my big move to the big apple back in 2016!

Website: www.livpainter.com

Instagram: @liv_painter

Linkedin: Olivia “Liv” Ramirez

Image Credits
Photo cred for the images with three paintings on the beach at Belmont Shore, CA., Photographer Geronimo and Joshua James from Whitter, CA.

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