Raven Harper

At NIAD since 2004
Raven Harper

Art is about remembering for me. It comes to my mind that we should remember our ancestors. It’s about the things you have that you can be thankful for.

Featured Artworks

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Artist Statement

I am an African American artist who works primarily in printmaking, painting, fiber and ceramics.

Learning new skills and improving my craft is an important foundation for my art practice. I am currently working on my first rug with Maria Guzman Capron in NIAD’s fiber department. I like how NIAD encourages developing new skills and how I can work on long term projects.

The NIAD studio facilitators are an integral part of my practice. Bill Zindel in the printmaking department has helped me develop my printmaking works and expand into making t-shirts and bags. I like to use different techniques with printmaking, like linocut. It’s cool to make something unique instead of repeating yourself over and over again. At NIAD I can learn something new every day.

Working in ceramics I like to put things together. I like to build in ceramics. When I look at the clay it’s like a picture is already on there. I just like to carve into it what I want it to be. In my art I like to explore and have fun. The making process has to be fun for me.

I love to do African inspired art and sculpture. I like the fashion from Africa and the graphic designs. I want to make quilts inspired by African cultures. I think it’s good to make stuff from the old days. Because people don’t make those things anymore. I think it’s good to bring back old styles of art and craft.

Art is about remembering for me. It comes to my mind that we should remember our ancestors. It’s about the things you have that you can be thankful for. I remember Dr King and Rosa Parks and the old ways and the way they showed us.

There is power in learning history. Celebrating Black hair is important to me and exploring it in my clay sculptures of Black people. Black cultural icons are important to my practice also, especially Aretha Franklin. Aretha inspired a lot of people and showed herself in a good way.

I think I am a beautiful artist. I would like to end my statement by thanking all of my facilitators at NIAD for supporting me.

Exhibition Highlights

Raven Harper
NIAD Art Center
2016
San Francisco Art Fair
San Francisco Art Dealers Association Booth
Fort Mason Festival Pavilion
April, 2024
The Art Of Resilience: Black Artists Surviving And Thriving In The Bay Area
ACCI Gallery
2020
Disability Changemakers
San Mateo, San Francisco and San Jose County public libraries
Traveling Exhibition
March, 2019
Talking Heads: Figuration From Northern California Ceramicists
organized by Susan Alexander and NIAD Art Center
Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA)
2018
The Handmade
Rock Paper Scissors Collective
2018
Affinity
organized by Tim Buckwalter
Museum of Northern California Art
2017
Joyful Tidings Of The Golden Future Time
organized by Jon Shibata
Yali’s Cafe
2016
DIS/PLAY
curated by Fran Osborn
SOMARTS Gallery
2015

Press Highlights