About The Artist
Visual Artist: Danny Ramirez (Bio) 2024
Danny was born in Miami Florida in 1972. He is a first generation American born citizen from Cuban immigrant parents. He is also one of six siblings, including a twin brother who is only five minutes older than him. In 1967-1968 his parents would be both forced into newly unexplored territories in America. At the age of five he would soon realize his love for the arts while attending Auburndale Elementary. His teacher would hand-out to his class a Xerox copy of a Butterfly and Crayons. He would use scissors, crayons, glue and anything else that he could find to create his first remembered art piece. This would also become his first realized mix-media work of art. His parents would later register him with a private Miami Art School (Bright Horizons). He would see his still-life drawing entered into his first group art exhibition which would also televised by one of the local TV stations. This would also become his first experience; having his art work shown at any capacity which he enjoyed. His Elementary Art teacher, Ms. Rosenberg would enter his works in the yearly Miami Youth Fair-County school competitions. Winning first place metals in his first (3) years participating. Mentored by his first Art Teacher Ms. Rosenberg, he would begin to find a sense of self identity while creating. She herself was a ahead of her time, as she had obtain funding and from her own resources, obtaining (2) ceramic/pottery kilns which would be placed/installed in the janitorial closet. At Citrus Middle School, Ms. Stern, whom was a defender of all art in the public school system, would gift him a book of Salvador Dali. His “puzzled-self-portrait” would place first in Mixed-Media Work, 2nd overall in that grade level state competition held in the State Capital Tallahassee, Florida. She had promote and related his work with the surrealist movement of the past. During his years at Miami Senior High School, Mrs. Valdez, Mrs. Revilla and Mrs. Dee would also mentor and/or influence his work in their own unique ways. Ms.Valdez would create the first art exhibition within the school, utilizing the empty available class rooms that the school could offer. Mrs. Revilla would find outside framers that could assist in the framing of pieces to show professionally in galleries or exhibitions. Ms. Dee his Junior/Senior Art Teacher taught her classes as if college or a university program. With a Ceramic background she would have the school install (3) kilns in her class. She was the wife of then UM sports program director Paul Dee. Danny would create baked ceramic sculptures in her ceramic class, while creating drawings/ mix media work in her other 2-D class. As a senior he would spend all seven periods in Mrs. Dee’s class. Missing or not attending his other classes as required for Graduation. His focus shifting completely to the arts, giving him solace and continued self examination both as a human being and as an artist during difficult times.
He would be required to pass all his pending classes at Night School and Summer School before the following semester in order to Graduate. Mrs. Dee would then provide the recommendation letter as required too enter New World School of the Arts.The first time that a Miami High Student had receive a New World School of the Arts recommendation letter for the Visual Arts. He would attend New World school of the Arts-UF Program, while also attending Miami-Dade Community College. Learning from Susan Banks how to make clay from scratch, using beer for fermentation. Also learning that glaze can used as baked overlay, but that it could also be used as raw material for final finish. Carol Brown would help him visualize his own work in the 3-Dimension. Helping him expand his work into a both 2-D and 3-D format. Changing his work in the process across the all dimensional planes. He would visit her North Miami studio during a NWSA student field trip. Which included visiting the Miami Beach Gallery showing Susan Banks ceramic pieces. His drawing professor would give him a Leonardo da Vinci booklet on skeletal and human anatomy drawings using form and gestures. He would cary this booklet always together with his sketch books. Keeping the booklet inserted in all his sketch books for reference and continued study of the male/female anatomy. Fredrick Snitzer would be his 2-D teacher. He would learn the art of finding nearby objects and creating a two-dimensional piece before the end of his class period (start to finish). Learning quickly how to create a body of work using the found items in and around the school’s boundary for substance without creating its media or material in that process. Printmaking, Painting, Photography and Computer Graphics would also assist in the uncovering of hidden imaginative regions.
He would begin to look at all the very different Medias/Electives as one singular unit or that they can be incorporated always in some manner to create a single idea. The blending of many medias/materials across many planes. Eventually Danny would accept a gallery assistant position at Fredrick Snitzer’s Gallery located in Coral Gables. While working evenings at the gallery, he learns to stretch large canvas onto frames, install the art work onto gallery walls, properly pack & ship the artwork. He would also install many purchased art work at numerous wealthy homes. Here he would learn of the business perspective of the art/gallery establishment. More importantly, he would be influenced and find inspiration with the gallery stable of talented Cuban Artists. Artist as Luis Cruz Azaceta, Thomas Esson, José Bedia, Paul Sierra, Wilfredo Lam and others. After a private critique from Fred Snitzer, he would dedicate one year in the pursuance of art research, self-analogy, personal growth, paving the way into continued self discovery as an artist. During that time span he would not create any new works of art. Becoming creativity abstinence during that entire year. He did keep a detail journal during that span of time. Visiting various art exhibitions and museums (Including the Dali Museum) which allowed further discovery of other artist such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Rubén Torres Llorca, Louise Nevelson, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and many more from past centuries too present.
After receiving his AA in Art and Art Education from Miami-Dade and New World School of the Arts, he begins to work as a designer and illustrator before completing his BA. He would work for various sign companies eventually working 20+ years for Acolite Sign Co-Miami Lakes, Fl (Largest South Florida Sign & Design Co at the Time); also while simultaneously working part-time many nights at Palmland Paper & Printing Co.- Ft.Lauderdale.(Also one of the largest Print-Press Co. still in existence at the time) Meanwhile, he would occupy an art studio at the Bakehouse Art Complex located in the Miami Wynwood-Art District 2001. Mr. Calvin (Bakehouse Art Director) would introduce him too Rosie Gordon Wallace (Director of Diaspora Vibe Gallery), having a gallery space already established at the Bakehouse Art Complex dedicated to the emergence of Caribbean Artists. Programing for “The Caribbean Crossroads/Incubator space for Emerging Artist” as non for profit. He would have his first Solo Show with Diaspora at the Bakehouse Art Complex. He would also travel w/ Diaspora to Grenada that first year via Caribbean Cross Roads Grant umbrella supported through the Miami-Dade Cultural Exchange. Thereafter, Diaspora Vibe Gallery would move into the 61 Building at 40th Street-Design District. A two year-donated building offered to Diaspora by Craig Robins of Dacra. This would become home to the first Art Basel in South Florida Diaspora Exhibition. Marking the first Basel Exhibitions and Gallery openings during the now famed yearly Art Basel Event. He would have an internal solo showing within the very large space during the first Art Basel-Design District Exhibition. Diaspora Vibe Gallery would eventually
move west of North Miami Ave. to the then exclaimed “Madonna Building” at 3900 N. Miami Ave. (Building with the large Alum. Cones surrounding the top portion of the building), another Solo Show at this Gallery “Mr Meyers-My Sweet Jane” would transpire later that year. Many more group shows and Biennials continued at the Madonna building and abroad in Aruba, St. Martin, St. Croix, Bahamas, Grenada again, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Antigua, Suriname.
Diaspora Vibe Gallery would eventually would move just west of North Miami Ave. to the then exclaimed “Madonna Building” at 3900 N. Miami Ave. (Building with the large Alum. Cones surrounding the top portion of the building), another Solo Show at this Gallery “Mr Meyers-My Sweet Jane” would transpire later that year. Many more group shows and Biennials continued at the Madonna building and abroad including in Aruba, St. Martin, St. Croix, Bahamas, Grenada again, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Antigua, Suriname. He was a Senior Artist for over 15+ years at DVG (Diaspora Vibe Gallery).
He would form “dadapoet Industries Inc.”. It would become an art based organization helping South Florida Art Community with Artist Studio and Space. Later publishing “Ezayah’s Silhouettes-Distant Storms are brewing”. Promoting the graphic novel along w/ paintings and prints at the Miami Book Fair. This would spark numerous series of work based on the novel, using all medias. It would later be transformed into a comic book, sold at local retail comic stores. As a DANG Artist (Disbanded Artists Negotiate Galleries) from 2015-2016 Delray Beach, Fl., he would show work at the Boca Museum of Art and exhibitions in Delray and Palm Beach areas.
Danny would live in the Wynwood Art District for seven years while promoting “Art @ 138-Art Studio” and “We are Wynwood” project(s). Continuing both Basel exhibition openings and concert event for bands. In 2024 Danny moves too currently resides in Palmetto Bay, Fl where he has begun 2024 series: “GAZING OF THE CALUSIAN GAIA".
Danny Ramirez
http://www.visualartist-dramirez.com
954.299.0916