Local Lady Featured Interview: Ronald Deane of RDNA Art & Design Studio - Gallery, LLC

The Artist, Ronald Deane: Image Source

Ronald Deane is the artist behind RDNA Art & Design Studio - Gallery,  LLC located in downtown Richmond in the historic Odd Fellows building.

Since the first day I discovered RDNA, I've been wanting to feature this local artist on the Local Lady blog. It's a pleasure to host the man behind the many colorful works displayed in various locations in Richmond. Ron's paintings beautify local businesses & homes. His murals certainly lend vibrancy and color to Richmond, Indiana. They are a pleasure to see. Be sure to discover them for yourself!

Here we go:

What inspired you to locate your studio in Downtown Richmond? 

RDNA Studio: Image Source

"I've always had a dream of owning a business in downtown Richmond from the days of my grandmother Zoan Gordon walking me down to the Rose Festival. I also bought all my art supplies at John's Custom Framing for my high school art projects.

In January of 2013, I tested myself to see if I could make it an entire year living off of my freelance work in graphic design, custom painting and murals. I made it to December so I decided to go all in and open my business downtown, after receiving help from some good friends.

One of my friends told me about the Odd Fellows building in which he had a business set up, but he was moving out. So I checked it out and loved the historic feel to the building and space, especially the raw exposed brick wall."

Do you have a favorite subject and/or medium, if so why?

"I don't have a favorite subject, yet I tend to paint females quite often. I love painting and drawing nudes live whenever I can. You can't see all the detail, light & shadow complexities and forms using photos. I also love being outdoors in nature so I paint a lot of landscapes. One day the only nature we will get to experience is landscape paintings from an artist, if we don't take care of our planet.

As far as medium, I'm using oils currently. I'm developing a multi-media style right now where I use acrylics as my base and oils on top using palette knives. I use oils because I like the thick texture and richness in color that they provide."

What kind of events or classes do you offer at your studio?

"We offer Express Your heART Art classes to both youth and adults. 

Saturday is our Youth Art classes starting at 10-12 for ages 6-12 and 1-3 for ages 13-17

Adult art classes are Mon, Wed and Fri 5:30-8:30.

We also have a Lunch and Paint at noon. 

All classes are pre-registration only. All information is on my website.

We have had several events at my gallery. We had a birthday party for Patty Crawford of IU East and recently a HYPE event which was very exciting and fun. At both parties the crowd painted a collaboration painting. I will be leading a community art project for RAM during the City Life event at Glenn Miller Park as well as teaching art classes at Room 912 in May. My artwork is on display and for sell at Beatree Yoga and Roscoes currently. We have some exciting and energetic events coming up. Stay tuned!"

How can the arts enrich or strengthen a community?

"Creativity, innovation, ideas, concepts, ingenuity, problem solving and vision are all character traits of an artist. I believe wholeheartedly that art and artist can transform, build and beautify any community that has lost it's vision, or energy. Art brings a vibrancy, positive feeling and sense of unity and pride to any community that allows it to flow and grow. Art/artist can enrich and strengthen a community by bringing a new perspective, vision and positive thinking to youth, teens and adults. Everything was created and envisioned by an artist. I believe art reflects society and society reflects art." 

Image Source

Thank you so much, Mr. Deane for your time and answers. May your art continue to bring vibrancy to our community and may your studio and business thrive!

When you explore downtown Richmond, be sure to visit Ronald Deane's studio located at:

RDNA Art & Design Studio - Gallery, LLC

8 S 8th Street, Richmond, Indiana 47374

Hours:

Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Closed on ALL National Holidays

You can also discover RDNA via on-line at the Official Site, as well as via Facebook & Twitter.

<3 the Local Gal

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Related Posts:

For Posterity: "l'art pour l'art"

Relevant Links:

Official Site: RDNA Art & Studio Gallery
RDNA on Facebook
RDNA Twitter
Slice of Lime and a Dash of Salt: Ron Deane

Local Lady Interview: Author Marissa Brim

Marissa Brim, Local Author

As providence should have it, I was recently reunited with an old acquaintance turned novel-writer, self-published author and all around go-getter, Marissa Brim. A friend loaned me a copy of her first book, Daughter of the Red Isle. I was intrigued by this new author's writing and her publishing process. Marissa agreed to a Local Lady Interview which is transcribed below. Thank you, thank you, Marissa!

Here we go:

What's your best Richmond/Indiana memories?

"When my mother first moved us to Richmond, her hometown, my grandparents helped to raise us and make us feel a part of the community.  They helped enroll us in Seton Elementary School in Richmond, and really gave us as much as they possibly could.

One memory in particular is of my grandfather, Leroy Atkins, taking me to Paulee's for breakfast, and then to the Farmer's Market next to the Depot, under 9th St. bridge.  It was great quality time with my grandfather.  He bought me a small cactus, which actually thrived for a few years, until my mother and I somehow managed to kill it.  Since then, I've been enchanted by the Depot district, and I'm so excited to see it coming back to life, as well as downtown."

How did you set off to become a writer?

"I can't say that one day I just woke up and said to myself "I'm going to be a writer now."  I can say I've always been a dreamer, and have read books & imagined stories that seemed to make my childhood more interesting.  I've always been an "in-my-head" type of person, as I'm not a great social speaker.  I can't formulate witty responses on the spur of a moment, but I can come up with a whole conversation if I'm left alone with a piece of paper, a pen and a situation.

Mostly, I decided to start writing again after elementary school because a story had started forming itself in my head, and it was taking up too much of my thoughts.  So, as a "cure," I decided to write it down, just to get it out of my head.  The initial outline was somewhere around ten thousand words.  I put it away for a while, until a tragedy in my family spurred me to finish the story."

Could you tell us a bit of what your book is about?

"Daughter of the Red Isle is a novel with two story lines: Lexi, a homeless young woman struggling to make it on her own and Leo, a wealthy businessman, learning life's lessons through tragedies.  While Daughter begins with tragedies, I think the main focus is on the characters surviving and learning to live through their hardships. Within the first chapter of the book, Lexi learns that her mother has finally succumbed to her addiction, dying from an apparent drug overdose.


Leo's story, on the other hand, is revealed much later.  He is the author of some "love letters" in the beginning of the book, and his tragedy hits closer to home with a lot of readers, myself included."

The Cover of Marissa's First Book

How did you go about publishing your book? You're a novel writer & self-published to boot! That's impressive!


"The publishing portion of the book was actually the easiest (once I decided I was going to go the Indie route, that is). I looked up several different options, including contacting one of the local printers in Richmond to print copies for me.  After all was said and done though, I started with an eBook, available only through Amazon Kindle.


After a few months, I decided to get a paper version as well, as people who either didn't have eBook access, or didn't have a Kindle, kept asking me for paper copies.  I used CreateSpace, a sub-company of Amazon, to publish the book.  It had multiple options, including a generate your own cover for the book feature, that really appealed to me."

Your book, although titled as somewhat of a romantic novel, touches on some big issues.
What inspired you to delve into things such as homelessness, drug abuse, etc.?

"For lack of a better explanation, personal (not me) experiences.  Substance abuse was a big player in my father's side of the family, mostly alcohol, but some drug use as well.  My grandmother had also a cousin who had lived on the streets of New York City for a time. He built his own business, and the last I heard, was a millionaire, living on the same island as Julio Iglesias.  

While they had some personal relation to me and my family, more people can relate to these issues.  Homelessness affects more people every year, and substance abuse seems to be within nearly every family.  They are tough issues, but people can survive and overcome them.   I have known for years that my father was an alcoholic, and knowing that, I was determined to never fall into that kind of addiction.  I have no desire to drink and drink and drink.  I'd rather spend that money on yarn for knitting!"

What's next on your agenda. I hear this may become a series?

"Yes, actually I'm somewhere around thirty thousand words on book 2 of The Isles series. The title is Son of the Emerald Isle, and focuses more on Lexi  finding "new" relatives, and it will explore further social issues. I'm working on the end of the book, and I have actually surprised myself with the end.  There's a lot going on. This installation in the series feels different than the first book. 

I'm also working on a few other things. Most notably an urban fantasy-type novel, which is published entirely on my blog, as I write, chapter by chapter.  The title is Death of a Fairy, a modern fairy tale, but it's not like any fairy tale I've ever read.  After it is finished, I will publish it on eBook and in paperback so others can read it as well."


Thank you again Marissa for your time and your company! I wish you much happiness and success in your writing career! May you sell many books and dream many more stories!

<3 the Local Gal

For more information: You can follow Marissa Brim, the author on Facebook Here.
Here Debut Novel is available at Two Sister's Books & More, as well as Richmond's local Hastings store.

Speaking to Strangers in Richmond, Indiana

The Local-Lady blog has been quiet now since Wednesday. I took some time off the computer to spend time with family and friends. It's good to step away from the screen sometimes. I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend. We did. Our family is grateful for the veterans in our lives, the people in military service and thoughtful remembering those who didn't make it home...

<3

I've lived in Richmond well over twenty years now. I know which neighborhoods not to walk in alone. I know where to stand in the sun, in view safely. I know where to run if there's trouble, who to call. When I look outside I see and know my neighbors. We watch for each other. But if I were a stranger, how would I see this city?

Bicycle Rust Sculpture

We walk and bike primarily for transportation. Being on foot or two wheels keeps us on a street level car drivers cannot know. We are stopped by passersby. We watch for the irises to bloom because we know which corner they'll be growing.

Last summer, on his way to work, my husband was stopped by a man on the street. This man had nothing but a pack on his back and the shoes on his feet. He was a man from Detroit, Michigan traveling by foot. “There's nothing there. That city is dying, so I'm making my way south to look for something” Here was a man from Detroit, traveling by foot. He told my husband that Richmond scared him. “This place is ghetto!” “I'm afraid here!” My husband walked with him awhile. He showed him the police station. They parted ways. We couldn't tell you his name.

This isn't the first time a stranger has expressed their fears to us.

He was tall and had grey hair. At first sight I took him for another bum on a bench, but when I rushed out to kiss the children, he smiled. He was not dirty. I didn't feel that he was bad. I could feel he was listening while we talked about flowers and birds and playground excursions. Finally, he spoke “Are you from around here?” He asked the whole family. “Yes, we are from here,” we answered. “What can you do in this town if you have a few hours?”

Empty Bench in Richmond, Indiana

I pointed out the downtown center city area. I pointed the way to the Depot District. He interrupted:

“I'm afraid!” He went on, “I've been sitting here scared. I'm not from here. I am stranded. I don't know this town, and it frightens me.” He told us a bit about his bad luck and his hard life, “I've cried many tears and said many prayers.” I looked at this large man and wondered that a tall man was speaking to a small woman of his fears sitting alone on a city bench. But then I understood. I know where to go, who to call. I know which street is safe and which street on which I should not be alone. He was a stranger.

All we could do was listen. All we could do was say: “Here you are safe”, “This is where you can go for help, for information”, “If you are hungry you can go this way”.

He told us his name, and we told him ours. I couldn't tell you what his name was but I remember his face. He was from Texas. He was Navajo. I know he was Navajo because he said, “Yá'át'ééh” before he turned to go.

Graffiti can be beautiful. This isn't an example of that sort, however.

We need to do more to fight the decay in this city. It frightens the people who move through it. When we own our place and show that it is loved, people will know that we care.

So how do we change these fears? Say hello, plant more irises. Smile at a stranger and dispel each other's fears.

<3 Your Local Gal