Raiana Paige

Raiana Paige, born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx NY, began her career as a singer and performer in the "Music Industry". Between musical performances she would reach for pencil and paper to draw anything that inspired her.  Early on, her talent was recognized when a fourth grade teacher would ask her to recreate a drawing she handed in for homework, in front him after school.  Surprised by her talent, he wanted to see for himself that it was she who was creating the art. 

Raiana’s first major decision came, when she was accepted to both the school for “Art and Design” and the“ LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts”.  She chose to study voice at LaGuardia and dance in the city’s most respected dance schools in the evenings. She would place her drawing second, for the time being. Raiana quickly became a powerful performer and signed her first record deal, beginning a successful career as a singer. Her art was never far away, playing roles in album covers, logos and costuming as she would go on to have hit records in multiple genres of music, tour around the world and have her music played on the world’s most famous radio and TV stations.

In time, the music business would change and become a difficult place for her to continue her passions and creativity. Deciding to take a hiatus from performing, she began a new journey, at times a darker one of self-discovery and reinvention through painting. 

Starting with abstract works to help process her emotions and eventually finding a more controlled outlet in what seemed to be a fight to regain control of her life. Through this process, she began a new chapter allowing her successes and failures to come together and speak for themselves. 

Artist Statement:

These women represent the Beauty and the Pain.

Vulnerability     Strength

Pain                 Passion

Fear                     Love

Darkness         Insecurity

I was inspired to capture the outer beauty of a woman but show the dark inner places we can feel and live in. In my recent personal struggles, these were the women that I hid behind to help give me strength. They allowed me to feel what I needed to feel and vicariously live through them till I could find my way home.

I’ve been working on this project for over three years and realized while putting this show together; it was just the beginning.