Sam Ralston
Anderson Park Fall 2024
Art is a big part of my life. It gives me purpose and direction. I’ve always felt the need to be creative. It makes me feel different...in a very good way. People think my work looks like internal organs, creatures or some form of sea life. I play on that. They’re usually from free form sketches where I let my brain go on autopilot. Some of my sketches sit around for years, while others are used, often combined and then translated to paint. At first, the shapes weren’t important. I was more interested in creating a mood with color, a balance with high contrast. The shapes were almost secondary. Now years later, the shapes have become much more important. I want them to be believable, not necessarily representational. I want them to be recognizable, even though most of my subject matter doesn’t exist in nature. I want my work to stand out, almost glow. Many people have asked what inspires me. I get my queues from nature, underwater environments, science fiction and Art Nouveau.