new art - Art, Jewelry, And Creations By Rafi Perez And Klee Angelie

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

New Art And Jewelry By Rafi And Klee 1-24-2019

Well, it looks like we are putting one of our 2019 resolutions into effect.

“Smile a lot and share your art as much as possible… especially with your email subscribers” and hey! that’s you!!

Once a week I’ll be sending you a new post with our creations for the week, with an inspiring quote or something, I haven’t really decided yet… but it’ll be great.

So let’s do this! ” Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair

New Jewelry By Klee Angelie This Week

New Art By Rafi Perez This Week

New T-Shirts This Week

New Posters Designed By Rafi This Week

If you click on the images above it’ll take you to our store and you can read more information about the items.

Have an amazing week you guys!

Posted on March 12, 2017March 12, 2017 by Artist Rafi Perez — 1 Comment

Art Creations For Your Inbox 10

Hola you amazing person you!

I am getting ready to become a recluse for the rest of the month as I go into finishing up a very powerful and special work of art. I’ll be entering it into a prestigious international art competition, that may give me the opportunity to show work in Japan. Needless to say, I am both excited and nervous, but I’m making progress on my weird phobia of art competitions, so I’m getting close to being fearless… kinda. I’ll be sending you for information on my progress and what happens, so stay tuned.

Rafi Perez Dream Like In The Garden, may be one of the pieces entered.

We have some new creations to share with you this week, both Klee and I are super excited about it!

But before we get into that, here is an amazing quote I would like to share with you:

“An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it.” Paul Valéry

This actually made me laugh a little, because it is so true. As an artist, I get the feeling that a piece is finished, but there is ALWAYS something else that can be done. I think as long as you enjoy the process, and not simply trying to get to the end of your work, you can have fun with it.

Ok, as I promised here is the art and jewelry! Enjoy!

14k gold filled Australian Fire Opal Necklace By Klee Angelie

“Opals are fascinating to me, like a bit of magic in gem form. Today, we still don’t know exactly how precious opal was formed but it’s incredible to me that it exists at all. The predominant theory of how Australian fire opal formed is this.

It’s believed that opal was formed from water containing silica running into cracks and fissures in the earth and combining with other materials. Around 30 million years ago, lots of silica was released into a solution which filled cracks in the rocks, layers in clay, and even some fossils. Some of them became precious opals. It takes approximately 5 to 6 million years for 1cm of opal to form.

Opals are made up from tiny uniformed spheres of transparent hard silica, which fit together in an orderly three dimensional frame. These tiny spheres also determine colors and patterns of opals. The size of the spheres determines the colour produced. The more orderly the structure of the spheres, the more fire the opal will have. This is what separates precious opals from common opal.

Ancient people believed that precious opal was a stone of luck, majesty, and magic… known as the “Queen of Gems” and honestly, I can’t argue with them.”

-Klee Angelie

I AM Fierce original painting by artist Rafi Perez

“The fierceness of someone who stands confident in their own determination of what the world is supposed to be, surrounds themselves by things that make them feel empowered. When someone makes it their priority to change their environment by getting rid of the things that cause them to question themselves… They are truly fierce.

This work of art is a reminder and representation of the power we have to create circumstances in our mind… and whether or not we have taken control of that power.

I created this when I was thinking of the powerful women I have known, or in history who changed the world into a brighter place, simply because they didn’t quit, because they were fierce.”

-Rafi Perez

Rustic Hammered Textured Sterling Silver Circle Necklace By Klee Angelie

“One of the oldest symbols known to us, the circle has been around since before the beginning of recorded history, representing many ideas to many cultures. Eternity, natural order, life cycles, elemental forces, sacred geometry, the universe itself.
This pendant necklace is a beautiful and simple representation of a timeless and powerful symbol. Made of solid hammer formed sterling silver and dangling beautifully between two jump rings, it has a nice weight and texture and looks amazing worn alone or layered with other necklaces.”

-Klee Angelie

Moonlight Mermaid original painting by artist Rafi Perez

“In the deep ocean of the mind, swimming through the vast pools of logic and analytical thinking, is a touch of magic. The mermaid, a symbol of wonder and fear, beauty and death, love and hate. the idea of something either completely imagined or never witnessed, yet as real as something you can touch is a fascination to me. It says so much about the person observing it. How do you see the mermaid? As a beautiful wonder… A treacherous siren… or a stupid fantasy.

This work of art is a reminder and representation of the power we all have within us.”

-Rafi Perez

Have an amazing week! You are awesome! Just remember, we never really get it done, and we can never get it wrong, because it is constantly being worked on, and being improved little by little… like a well lived life.

Remember to stay endlessly inspired by the stuff of life!

-Love Rafi and Klee

Posted on March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

Art Creations For Your Inbox 9

Hola! We think you are awesome!

I want to announce that my exhibition is currently running at Artel Gallery, in downtown Pensacola, so if you are in town come out and see it :). We will be having the reception March 16th, from 6-8pm.

We have some new creations to share with you this week, both Klee and I are super excited about it!

But before we get into that, here is an amazing quote I would like to share with you:

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.” Marc Chagall

Man, this is so true for me. I can easily overthink something to death, and suddenly I’m frozen with indecision. When I follow my heart and feel my way through a work of art, that’s when the magic truly happens.

Ok, as I promised here is the art and jewelry! Enjoy!

Hammered Sterling silver and 14k Solid Gold “Mini Gong” Earrings

Hammered Sterling silver and 14k Solid Gold Mini Gong Earrings

“Mini Gong” Hammered Sterling and 14k gold disk earrings. These little sterling silver concave disk earrings feature subtle hammered texture, beautiful light play, minimalist design, and mixed metals with a 14k solid gold hexagonal bead nested in each. A perfect companion to the “Mini Gong” necklace, they might just be your new favorite earrings to wear everyday.”

-Klee Angelie

The Glow Of Silence By Rafi Perez

In the silence of my mind, I reach for a thought and push it away. These thoughts, these things that I think and feel are nothing more than an illusion in my silence. In this moment of focus on the glow that radiates from me, burning away the darkness of my mind, burning away at disillusion, discontent, and misery. In this moment I am glowing..”

-Rafi Perez

Sterling Silver and 14k Gold Mini Gong Disk Necklace

Mini Gong” Hammered Sterling and 14k gold disk necklace. This little sterling silver concave disk necklace features subtle hammered texture, beautiful light play, minimalist design, and mixed metals with two 14k solid gold hexagonal beads (one front and one at the clasp). It might just be your new favorite necklace to wear everyday.”

-Klee Angelie

Flight Of The Hummingbird By Rafi Perez

The imagination is one of the most powerful attributes of the human mind. We can simply visualize ourselves in any and all situations and scenarios. We can literally bring ourselves to our knees, worried about a terrible outcome that hasn’t or will probably never happen… or we can fly on the back of a hummingbird, to the song “Flight of The Valkyrie”.”

-Rafi Perez

Have an amazing week! You are awesome! No matter what you decide to create, whether it is art, a good dinner, or your life, do it from the heart… that is where the magic happens.

Remember to stay endlessly inspired by the stuff of life!

-Love Rafi and Klee

Posted on February 26, 2017February 26, 2017 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

Stephanie’s Mermaid By Rafi Perez

I had the honor of meeting with a wonderful person who wanted a statement piece for her new digs. Her story was inspiring, and right up my alley for the kind of commission I love to work on. I love it when people jump out of their comfort zone… It’s awesome.

She had reached out to me after a good friend recommended that she should own a “Rafi” piece in her new abode.

Stephanie's Mermaid By Rafi Perez — The Reveal With Stephanie

After a fantastic phone conversation where we talked about everything from having a positive mindset, to pushing past comfort zones, and I scheduled an appointment to meet in person.

I like meeting with someone, whenever possible, to get a feel for who they are. I have a series of questions that give me a little insight to who they are, and what they want.

After a great conversation, taking measurements, and staring at the space (I’m sure it looks weird as I attempt to visualize the piece and how it will interact with the other objects and colors in the room) I had what I needed to get started.

My notes are usually very simple, I use single words to evoke the conversation we had, the colors that mean something to the person, and my own intuition.

This is what I wrote:

Mermaid
Bright Light
Turquoise
Positive Energy
Inspire Others
Blue
Purple (Different Shades)
In tune with touch (Massage)
Fierce
Empowered
Create a piece that will be a magical and constant reminder of self development and self empowerment.

The end result was amazing, and the mermaid just came to life in the space, and in the energy of its new home.

I am very proud of this piece, and honored that I was given the opportunity to create her.

-Rafi

Posted on February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 by Artist Rafi Perez — 2 Comments

Taco Agave Large Painting

I just delivered and hung one of the largest paintings I have created thus far. I was commissioned by Taco Agave in downtown Pensacola for a piece in their new restaurant.

I’m telling you about this because this was a first for me. This piece is about 10ft wide and was a bit intimidating. Luckily, the excitement of creating something this large and difficult was overpowering, and I jumped in before I could talk myself out of working on it.

I wanted to stay true to the theme and style of the beautiful design that the restaurant has, which is rustic, with a little industrial thrown in. So, I decided on an abstract of an agave farm with the mountains in the background. The piece has a reflective, industrial silver under layer so it changes throughout the different times of day.

I am very proud of what I created and look forward to my next large commercial commission. If you are interested in seeing it for yourself and enjoying some delicious food, visit Taco Agave at 200 S Palafox St, Pensacola, FL 32502.

Below, you will also find pictures of me installing it, which by the way, was also intimidating. Luckily, I was so excited about seeing it in the space, that I didn’t realize it until later. I also had my friend Eric helping me, so it all went pretty smoothly.

Just wanted to share. Stay awesome my friends!

Taco Agave In Pensacola Art

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Artist Rafi Perez — 8 Comments

The Origin Of Passion

Recently I entered an international art competition. Well, first let me say, I entered an art competition, which was nerve racking for me. Yeah… Nerve racking… Weird, right?

As part of my 2017 growth as a person, and artist goal, I’ve decided to enter as many international art competitions as I can. Some of you that watch my videos, or have read past blogs, know I have an unreasonable fear of art competitions.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my fear was getting in the way of my achievements as an artist. How am I supposed to win an international art competition, if I’m paralyzed by fear of being judged inadequate? Or worse, what if I win?

Yup, the closer I looked, the more I started to realize that I was also afraid of winning.

Now, let’s get something straight, I really don’t care much about winning or losing. I also am not very concerned about opinions or criticisms about my art. I rather enjoy them, I love hearing the unique perspectives that the viewer brings to the work. Even when it’s negative, I learn something about people.

I mean, c’mon, one of my best friends sees something lewd or sexual in just about every piece I create – sometimes he can’t help it. If I got offended or hurt , I wouldn’t be able to enjoy his genuine reaction to the art. Come to think of it, my father is pretty much a perverted twelve year old when it comes to my art too, so maybe that’s why it doesn’t phase me.

I painted a beautiful painting of a bald eagle for a benefit event, for the Northwest Florida Wildlife Sanctuary. My dad showed up and told everyone it reminded him of a retarded parrot. I didn’t care, he’s genuine… and a little like a retarded parrot himself.

I would rather have genuine reactions, no matter how childish, than polite smiles and scripted responses because people are afraid to hurt my feelings.

That being said, I feel like competitions can be a bit cold. The human interaction between the work can easily be mechanical, because you are comparing pieces to one another and not allowing your relationship with the art to fully form.

But, either way, what was I talking about? Art competitions, I’m doing them this year… Why not?

So my first piece that I’ve created is based on a competition with a tag line of “Passion To Perform.”

I struggled a little with this because the word perform has such a corporate connotation to me. Your performance is evaluated at the end of the year, and the over all performance of the company, and blah blah blah.

You can imagine how the word passion just didn’t seem to fit in my mind.

Luckily, I’m married to an extremely brilliant woman, who also happened to be a vocalist for over a decade, and has a different spin on the word perform.

“It’s like, when you get up on stage and sing, or you dance at the ballet, or act on Broadway… If you are passionate, it shines through.”

Oh… Duh…

So I created this piece called the Origin Of Passion. It is the representation of how I believe the seed of passion can bloom. That contemplative moment, where you are thinking about giving up, and realize that you must move forward. Despite the roadblocks, naysayers, and dark days, you are determined.

The golden words in her hair are the reminder of the power that this passion brings you. Courage, strength, growth, determination, perseverance, inspiration, boldness, vision, and creativity.

I remember back when I quit my corporate job and was reevaluating my life, and wanting to be more creative, a lot of my friends and family were not supportive. In fact, not supportive is an understatement, I’m sure there were a lot of concerned conversations, judgement, and name calling.

But I didn’t care, because I was, and am passionate about my life, creativity, and spreading a positive message into the world. I think if you are passionate about something and you practice courage, strength, growth, determination, perseverance, inspiration, boldness, vision, and creativity… You become unstoppable… Even when your aunt thinks you’re crazy.

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Artist Rafi Perez — 2 Comments

Why The Joy Of Koi?

Recently, I had the opportunity to create a custom commission of a series that has a very strong meaning for me. It symbolizes, joy, hope, never giving up on who you are, and following your own path, no matter how difficult.

Here is the story:

When I was in my twenties, I had made a series of decisions that put me at a crossroad in my life. I had just told my father that I did not want to follow in his footsteps, that I wanted no part of the family business. It was a bitter and heated argument, which ended with me saying he could stick said family business up an orifice located at the rear of the human body.

I stormed out, jumped in my car and just drove. I had nowhere to go, the decision to leave meant I was leaving it all. I no longer had a place to live, I had no job, I had nothing.

I decided to go to a fountain that sat right on the Chicago River, I went there a lot when I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. It’s a beautiful fountain that was hidden on a lonely road behind North Pier, and I felt like it was my secret place in the city.

The Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain and water canon shoots a stream of water across the river every hour, and the fountain itself has elaborate steps for the water to cascade and surround you. It is beautiful, and rarely did I see many people around, it was usually just me and my fountain.

There was no cascading water, or shooting stream that night. It was unseasonably cold that day, and I guessed the fountain was shut down for the winter. The cold wind bit through my sweater, and I rested my hands on the icy railing and looked into the vast darkness of the Chicago River.

Warm tears burned my cheeks as the realization hit me that I was alone. Truly alone.

Should I go back and apologize? Just go back to the life I knew? I mean, most people are miserable, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be.

No, there has to be more out there, more to life.

I was shaking now, wondering if I could sneak into the house to get my coat. My dad wouldn’t care, he would give me his coat off his back, despite what I had said, but I was making a stand. I would die before I went back.

Hours passed, I stared at that dark abyss lost in my thoughts. I fell into a deep despair. I felt such hopelessness, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. I couldn’t seem to pull my mind away from the downward spiral I was in. Then, against my better judgment, I contemplated jumping into the dark water. My eyes blurred with tears as I stared out into the cold dark water.

In the darkness, I saw a glint of gold. I stood up straight, wiped my eyes, and strained to see what was floating in the water. I looked for a few minutes and saw nothing but black water.

Then a brilliant flash of gold from under the surface of the water radiated out towards me, then it was gone. One moment it would be there, the next moment it was gone. This happened for the next hour or so, although it felt like minutes to me.

What was this glowing thing? This small golden light that shone so bright in the vast darkness.

Was it hope? Like a candle flame, lighting the way. Even the smallest, dimmest light can shine bright in the darkness.

Suddenly, I felt alive. I felt like only opportunities were ahead of me, like I couldn’t be stopped… Especially, not by despair.

Then for a brief moment, I saw what had been playing with me in the water. It was a fish, a brilliantly golden fish, a very large goldfish or Koi… Then, just like that, it was gone. I didn’t see the golden flash any more that night, and I didn’t need to.

My series, “The Joy Of Koi” is based on this story.

Posted on September 1, 2016December 27, 2020 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

New Glow In The Dark Series

glow-in-the-dark (1)

I’m so excited to introduce a series that has been a long time waiting. These pieces are the first of a series that I have planned out for the next few months, keep an eye out. These use a special pigment that holds a charge for several hours and is non toxic. Coming soon. Watch the video for more information.

Tag: new art