Raymond Saa

Maplewood, New Jersey

Artworks shown are selected from works submitted by the artist in their grant or residency application. All works are copyright of the artist or artist’s estate.

About Raymond Saa

Raymond Saa Stein was awarded an MFA Grant upon graduating from Parsons School of Design.

Program Participation

Joan Mitchell Center Residency, 2013

MFA Grant, 1997

My work and the way I think about it has naturally evolved over the years.

There are many more aspects of myself that I can now recognize and accept; primarily ‘myself ‘and my ‘work’ are one and the same. My work is not ‘about something’ it is a reflection of me and therefore of what inspires me. The visual, auditory, and sensory minutiae that compete for daily attention is the inspiration to work. The way this is achieved is what my work is ‘about’.

I am not a literary person I am a visual person. This seems obvious but often explanations are demanded in words and for artists this can be a struggle if not a contradiction, as our forte is to explain the world visually and more often than not our weakness is words.

It was pointed out to me recently that the scale of my work often enough correlates with human dimensions; arms width and body height, this observation pleased me as painting and drawing for me is very physical and about the process and when I’m working well, very instinctive. I usually work on several pieces concurrently which means that I can ponder on one work whilst continuing to work on another and in that way they also inform or cross pollinate each other.”