This work is from Ramsay's latest series titled Messengers and refers to John Constable "Messenger Clouds", today known as scud or stratus fractus clouds, those that move at faster speeds under rain clouds.
Constable would set up at the same time each day, with premixed vials of paint to capture the sky and its clouds. He referred to this practice as “skying.”
This series is not about clouds though, yet is something of clouds, as Ramsay does a lot of skying herself. Also, she watches the clouds in the sky over the East River daily, all times of day and night, all seasons.
Interference paints subtly shift the colors the viewer sees, making the artwork dynamic; reminding us life is always changing. Counter to what the viewer sees, these pigments are colorless; it is their ability to bend light that causes a viewer to perceive a color that’s not really there.
Debra Ramsay is an American abstract artist who creates acrylic paintings, drawings and installations that explore the conceptual interplay between color, line and surface. She lives and works in New York City.