Marcia Raff
Marcia Raff describes herself as a “professional sculptor interested in all that has to do with evolving consciousness”. A member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, of the International Sculptors Society, USA and an Exhibiting Artist Member of the National Arts Club, USA, Marcia Raff draws inspiration from books she feels passionate about. “Like architect Richard Meier, I strive for purity, simplicity and clarity”, she states, adding, “I like my work to have meaning and have it resonate emotionally. I particularly enjoy doing monumental site-specific sculpture internationally as well as nationally”. Raff lists among her heroes (she also describes them as teachers) French sculptor Rodin, Romanian born sculptor Constantin Brancusi, American painter Georgia O’Keeffe, British writer Arthur Koestler, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung and Nobel prize winning American physicist Richard Feynman. The record of Raff’s achievements makes clear her fascination with monumental sculpture. She has either exhibited or received commissions to create monumental works in places as diverse as the entrance to the Israeli community of Macabbim (Serendipity, 1997), the University of Florida’s Hilton Hotel and Conference Center (Feynman’s Fancy) 1998, that University’s School of Architecture (Columns 1, 2 & 3”, Series III, 1992) and the School of Journalism (either/or, 1993), the New York City Park District’s facilities at Broadway Malls (Columns 1, 2 & 3, Series III, 2006) at the New York City’s Broadway Malls at Verdi Square (Feynman’s Fancy, 2006), Westchester Park District’s Ward Pound Ridge Reservation (Columns 1, 2 & 3, Series III), Port Warwick, Virginia, (Columns 1, 2 & 3, Series III), Modiin, Israel, (Portal No. 1, Series 3aa, 12 ft high), Hall of Fame, Wingate, Israel, (Chai/Life ), Weizmann Institute’s Clore Garden of Science, Rehovot, Israel, (Feynman’s Fancy), a corporation in London, England, (Columns 1, 2 & 3, Series I)Raff’s work has been exhibited in many public places, galleries and museums. In 1997 she was awarded a one woman exhibit at the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, Florida. Twenty-one of her monumental sculptures are on exhibit internationally. The Royal Academy of Arts, London, England thought so highly of her work it accepted four of her sculptures in three Summer Exhibitions (1989, 1991 and 1992). In September of 2006, Raff had a one woman exhibit at Gracious Home exhibiting twenty- three of her sculptures. Clearly, Raff intended that some of her creations, such as Helping Hands, 3’s A Crowd and McDonald’s News Column (you can view these at www.marciaraffstudio.com) amuse the viewer. But one of her works, a stone sculpture entitled “Gravestone”: Portal No. 3 is sobering. Displayed in Hadeed Cemetery, Israel, “Gravestone” is the tombstone of her late husband, Marshall Raff. On it, there is a yet-to- been graved stone panel where her name will someday appear next to her husband’s. Commenting on Marcia Raff’s 1997 exhibition at the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, museum director Henry Flood Robert, Jr. offered the following observation:
“The work of Marcia Raff reflects two important and distinct factors found in contemporary art today – delicacy and power. This unique combination is an accomplishment which is testimony to Marcia Raff’s concern for impeccable execution and strong geometric forms. Acute attention to detail, finishes and surface texture moves in and out of Marcia’s work like a Cartier jeweler. Often influenced by the power of words, her “word symbols”, which adorn many of her pieces, are symbolic of her life’s experiences, triumphs and tragedies. Her sculptures are beautifully crafted. Using diverse mediums, Marcia presents the viewer with an exciting variety of cast bronze, brass, ceramics and steel. She is one of the few artists who can change mediums and almost immediately create sculptures that are successful”.
