Ray Paul expresses himself in flashes of color.

Ray Paul (raypaulart.com) recalls one of his earliest memories as a young artist. “I’ll never forget my second grade teacher. She recognized my talent and put me in the ‘special chair’ as class artist,” he says. “That was a big deal.” The South Tampa artist, who spent much of his childhood drawing horses in his hometown of Cincinnati, found himself moving to the Sunshine State to attend college. “Finding your own voice in the world of art and making it interesting is the hardest part,” he says. “You want to reach beyond yourself and draw out what’s inside.” He describes his art as colorful and energetic, a mix of abstract expressionism, surrealism and pop art. Ray recently appeared with Tampa Artist Inc. in an art fundraiser for Faces of Athena, benefitting female homeless veterans. The self-proclaimed “aspiring triathlete” enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and Boston terrier, playing guitar and reading.

What’s a typical day for the artist? Ray is a firm believer that a healthy start to the day releases the mind noise and distractions that often cloud creativity. “I like to keep myself sharp and exercise a lot to get out all of the stress and frustration.”

Ray enjoys living in an area that appreciates art but notes how splintered the art community can be at times. “There are a lot of artists out there and hopefully, they’ll come together and be more inclusive,” he says. “I’d like to see local galleries and government support artists more, too.”

He admits that the real pay-off for any artist is to have your art received with emotion and enthusiasm. “The most satisfying part is when someone looks at my art and sees things within it that I had no idea were there and takes away something special from the whole experience,” he says.