Today we’re excited to be connecting with Ray-mel Cornelius again. If you haven’t already, we suggest you check out our prior conversation with them here.
Ray-mel, we are so thrilled to be connecting again and can’t wait to hear about all the amazing things you have been up to. Before we jump into all of that, some of our readers might have missed our prior interview, so can you take a moment to reintroduce yourself?
I am a painter. I grew up outside of a small town in Northeast Texas and I was inspired by the wide-open space that surrounded me. That connection to space is the catalyst for my work.
My paintings reflect an interest in the landscape and the inhabitants and mythologies that accompany it. They give me the opportunity to explore representational and abstract subjects.
I worked as an illustrator for thirty years, all the while making work independent of that field. In 2011 I turned to painting my own interests exclusively, no longer working for commission. I have been represented by several galleries since 1997, currently with RO2 Art in Dallas, Tx and Jane Hamilton Fine Art in Tucson, AZ. I have had 12 one person shows and have been included in many juried exhibitions. Articles on my work have been published in Southwest Art Magazine, Fantasy Art Magazine (China) and in the books “Drawing Inspiration: Visual Artists at Work,” “Studio Visit,” “Spectrum: the Best in Contemporary Fantasic Art,” “Strokes of Genius,” and “Incite: Color Passions.” My previously commissioned work has been included in juried volumes of the New York Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts Magazine and Graphis Magazine.
I lived and worked in Dallas, TX for 42 years. Last year I relocated to Taos, New Mexico.
Great, so let’s jump into an update on what you have been up to since we last spoke. What can you share with us?
After 42 years in Dallas I relocated to Taos, NM last year. Prior to this move I had been visiting New Mexico regularly since the mid 1990s. We bought a home here in 2015 and finally moved permanently. I was represented in Taos by Copper Moon Gallery from its inception in 2011 until its closing in 2020. I was then represented by David Anthony Fine Art for two years until its closing. I am currently represented in Tucson by Jane Hamilton Fine Art and by RO2 Art in Dallas.
I have been working on a one person show scheduled for September 2025 at RO2 Art in Dallas. It will be my fourth one person show with RO2. I am still in that process, the theme of the show is using iconic imagery to compare and contrast the environments of Texas and New Mexico.
After that show’s opening I will continue to work as I have. I would like to have representation in New Mexico again, but we will see how that goes.
Alright, so let’s do something a bit more fast-paced and lighthearted. We call this our lightning round and we’ll ask you a few quick questions.
- Favorite Movie: That changes every few years. My current favorites are the “A Quiet Place” series.
- Favorite Book: Meditations – Marcus Aurelius
- Favorite Band or Artist: That, too, tends to change. But Tangerine Dream is still highest on the list.
- Sweet or Savory: Both, depending.
- Mountains or Beach: Mountains to live, beach to visit.
- Did you play sports growing up (if so which ones): No.
- As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up: An artist.
- French Fries or Onion Rings: Onion rings.
- Favorite Cartoon growing up: Mighty Mouse
- Favorite Breakfast Food: Huevos Rancheros
When you look back on your life, what are three things you expect to be proud of?
1. I grew up in a small Texas town where expectations were kept in a pretty restrictive box. Being something as esoteric as an artist was, while not necessarily discouraged, not an ambition that “sensible” people pursued outside of being a nice hobby. I not only achieved my dream of being a working professional artist, I did pretty well at it.
2. I met the love of my life and we have been together for, at this writing, 37 years. I expect that success to continue for the duration.
3. While not rich or particularly famous, I have over time achieved just about everything I ever wanted, in one form or the other.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raymelcornelius
- Instagram: @raymelcornelius
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/rmcornelius/art
