Domine Ragosta | Contempory Palette Knife Painter
Born 1948, Artist Domine Vescera Ragosta a native of Providence, RI, faced a major career choice: She could continue to work as a Registered Nurse, or she could try being a professional artist, a dream she had since child hood. She chose art.
Working in various media, Domine Ragosta’s first love is oils. She considers herself an interpreter of nature. A contemporary painter who has captured the romance of the Impressionistic style of the late 19th century, Ragosta is known for her depiction of snowy woods, green meadows, flowers and pond scenes. She paints with a soft, yet aggressive style that conveys the texture and life of her subject matter. Her paintings use unique colors and heavy layers of paint and illustrate the forms of leaves, branches and petals. Ragosta works exclusively with palette knives to create areas of thick paint, preferring to create the painting as a whole, instead of focusing on specific areas.
Domine Ragosta | A Soulful Group
Ten Years ago, Domine was stricken with Optic Neuritis which severely effected her sight to the point where she was considered legally blind. ” I couldn’t see colors very well, so I made them brighter than usual. I also tried to capture more of the feeling of what I was painting. Over the past 10 years her sight has been improving, but she is still today visually impaired. Her loss of vision has changed her and her art. “It showed me how much art depends on what’s inside, rather than what’s outside.” She says, “I feel I’m a better artist for it.”
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Domine Vescera Ragosta became a registered nurse before pursuing a lifelong passion for painting. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design as a special student and also received private instruction. Working in various media, Ms. Ragosta’s first love is oils. She considers herself an interpreter of nature with an impressionistic style. Her recent work employs broader, freer strokes with a more intense usage of color. She has painted on location throughout New England and from her studio on Hawkins Pond in rural Northern Rhode Island. Her Vermont series features many paintings from Woodstock, Dorset and Manchester area. Her work has been exhibited in many galleries including group and solo exhibitions. She has received several awards and her paintings hang in many private and corporate collections. She is represented locally by Blazing Editions (East Greenwich, RI), Reign Gallery (Newport, RI) Complements Art Gallery, Warwick,RI and Courtyard Gallery (Mystic, Connecticut). She is an artist member of the Providence Art Club,Providence R.I. Other affiliations include the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, Access Committee, and the Board of trustees of the Greenville Public Library where she currently holds the office of President. She has been a resident of Smithfield for over 33 years where she works and lives with her husband Bob and daughter Nicole.
Member
Juried Shows
- October 2007 RI Open 21 Warwick Museum of Art Warwick, RI
- October 2006 20th RI Open Warwick Museum of Art Warwick, RI
- October 2004 18th RI Open (Juried Show) Warwick Art Museum Warwick, RI
- November 2003 17th RI Open (Juried Show) Warwick Art Museum Warwick, RI
- February 2002 Open Juried Show Providence Art Club Providence, RI
- 2001 Fifteenth Annual RI Open Warwick Art Museum Warwick, RI
- 2000 Members Show Warwick Arts Foundation Warwick Museum Warwick, RI
- 2000 ”Inspired by the Written Word” Providence Art Club Providence, RI
- April 3rd-29th 2000 Exhibit Mathematical Society Gallery Providence, RI
- May 7th-26th 2000 Yale Medical School New Haven, CT
- June 1st-30th 2000 Macy Gallery Columbia University New York City, NY
- 1999 Open Juried Show Warwick Museum Warwick, RI
- 1999 Open Juried Show Providence Art Club Providence, RI
- 1999 Little Compton Summer Art Show Little Compton, RI
- 1998 ”Allegory, Myth and Fantasy” Providence Art Club Providence, RI
- 1997 ”Visions Towards Wellness” Dreydon Galleries Providence, RI
- 1997 ”Animals Great and Small” Wickford Art Association Wickford, RI
- 1997 ”Belle Fleur” Wickford Art Association Wickford, RI
- 1996 Open Juried South County Art Association South County, RI
- 1992-1993 Open Juried Warwick Museum Warwick, RI
For more information visit www.blazing.com
About the Author
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Pink Glove Dance Video by Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice
