Raneece Buddan is Jamaican born artist here in Edmonton that creates sculptors and paintings surrounding her heritage. Her work focuses on her cultural identity as a Jamaican woman of African and East Indian descent. It shows the transformation of herself while adapting aspects of each culture. Some more dominant than others. Her work has been in galleries in New York, and Edmonton (Art Gallery of Alberta & Art Gallery at the UofA) and one day around the world. Here’s Raneece Buddan story of how she began this artist path.

Featuring Raneece Buddan.

What drove you to sculpt and paint? Tell us about that journey?

I feel like everyone else, since I was a child I really liked art. I just knew I was an artistic child, so I did theatre, I did dance, piano, and visual arts. And I just stuck with the arts so yeah I was always an artistic kid. I liked sculpting working with the mediums.

Her expression of art.

What kind of sculpting do you do?

I do a lot of clay work and ceramic but I also started doing more woodworking. I am going to challenge myself. One of my first woodwork was displayed on the second floor of the fine arts building near the washroom and I thought to myself I wanted to go big so I did that one.

Art & money how do you balance the two?

I would say the work that I create goes into galleries, but when it goes into galleries, does someone want to buy it. I do not think that far ahead, I create what I want to create. I think the visual arts world is transforming, and I would hope that someone would want to buy my work. I feel like I should think about it, but I can’t create artwork like that because it lacks motivation and turning my craft into something profitable is not for me.

Her Heritage.

Where does your inspiration come from?

A quote from her artist statement:

  ” In Jamaica as a child being mixed with another race was glorified and overshadowed your blackness. The silkier the hair, the “nicer” and “prettier” it is and you too in turn. I have included synthetic hair to signify my struggle from a young age with the attachment to my hair. I signified my hair with my beauty. When among “pure” Indians I felt less than.  My hair was still not straight enough and my skin not light enough. I was identified as a “Black Indian”, making me feel like I wasn’t enough. According to society, all Indians were of light complexion and because of colorism, lighter skin, in general, was idealized as a signifier of beauty.”

What is your process like?

My process is based on my research on traditional and contemporary art from each culture. I try to explore different processes from each as my foundation. The goal of each piece is to learn more about myself throughout the process.I would say the concept that I work with, translates through my cultural background. And before I am even finished the sculpture I would change it and notice whether that’s what the sculpture wants and stop when necessary. So I start off with something and it never goes to plan.

In my work I try to merge my two identities, I would say when I am working with my figures it is abstract mixed with realism where the figure ends up being in this in-between stage of “who I am?”, “what side am I on?”, “Am I really Black enough or Indian enough” and expressing those kinds of state of thinking on identity. And I think a lot of people struggle with where they fit in. So with my sculptures it is like almost not exactly a full figure, always in between stages and even when I am creating the art it  never finishes because before I get to where I want it to be the medium tells me that is enough and it still ends up being a completed work.

How does the medium speak to you?

It is intuition, I create, and I realize that it does not need to go any further. Accepting that it is good right now and going further so to speak can ruin it. I have the choice to continue but it would be another piece.That is the thing with art you have to know when to stop. And allow it be.

Stories behind her artwork.

How does sculpting and storytelling go hand in hand?

I would say mostly for my paintings, there is a theme that I carry onto another painting. Whereas my sculptures all relate in terms of concept, but I am not necessarily creating them a full story or unit.I like to combine my woodwork/sculpting with my paintings, and I love working with fabric. I use material from African heritages and Indian fabric, which has beading and sequins and incorporate that with the ingrains of the wood. I end up my painting and using the material together and allow the audience to decide whether something is what is the painting or not. In art school, they teach us we should think about the audience in mind, but I am like no this is for me. Honestly, I would say I think about the audience in terms of micro and macro details, so what they are going to seeing from afar versus when they get closer. However, when it comes to concepts, I do not bother worrying about what the audience thinks because this work is for me.

Pandemic won’t stop Art.

I am an indoor person, so COVID didn’t impact me. At this point, I have been watching Netflix all the time, so my eyes are going to be horrible by the end of quarantine. I also have been painting because I have shows this summer that I am submitting my work to. I have been taking care of myself and relaxing and putting little to no stress in my life.

Raneece Buddan is currently commissioning her work so if you are interested in buying one of her wonderfully crafted pieces. Follow the link to her Instagram and be amazed by the talent she has with her hands. Think of her when you want to give unique gift to a loved one or even yourself!

Let us know what you thought of this story, and if it also inspired you to fall even more in love with your craft. Or if you have story that you would like to share with us next.