Upon his initial encounter with the work of Jackson Pollock, Raphael found himself captivated by the grand scale, vibrant energy, bold color, and abstraction, igniting his creative passion. Influenced by the New York abstract expressionism of the 1940s and 50s, Los Angeles artist Marc Raphael embarked on a self-taught journey to create his first action paintings in 1991.
After living abroad in Paris, France and graduating college, Raphael pursued his passion for painting alongside his 25-year career as a K-12 classroom teacher. Marc reveals that the murder of his brother in 1982 led him to want to make a difference in the world and to do his part to educate children from poor, underserved communities. Although his years as a teacher filled his life with many rich and rewarding experiences and many fond memories, he decided to pursue his art full-time in 2020.
Since making the transition to full-time artist, Raphael has painted in several studios across Los Angeles, always refining his drip and splatter action painting technique. Marc’s desire to create large abstracts and actively engage his whole body in the process is the perfect fit for someone who spent years competing at the highest levels in basketball. The dynamic interplay between body and creative energy is immensely satisfying for Marc, resulting in his stunning compositions. Here is what Raphael says about his work:
“As an action painter who paints in an abstract expressionist style, I am primarily interested in the process of making art. To begin a painting, I lay raw, unstretched canvas on the floor, and without a preconceived notion of what I am going to do or how the finished painting will look, I intuitively apply the first marks of acrylic paint on the canvas. What I love about raw canvas is how watered-down acrylic paint stains the cotton fibers, providing a smoothly textured background. Working quickly, I scoot, lean, bend, and squat as I move around the canvas executing rapid-fire drips, splatters, and swirls. By consciously attending to formal elements, especially color, line, and texture, and allowing intuition to freely assert itself, the painting soon comes to life and presents a direction. I liken this balance of control and spontaneity to a conversation I am having with the painting. This balance between control and spontaneity also reminds me of improvisational jazz, and that is why I refer to my paintings as ‘jazz-like improvisations on canvas.’”
Marc Raphael’s artworks are exhibited and collected across the United States.
