Raette was raised in Ventura County, California. Most of her life she lived in Thousand Oaks, located approximately half way between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, CA. She began painting with acrylic paints in 1992 while attending Moorpark Community College. Her California Views series captures the vibrant colors of poppies and lupine flowers that abound in springtime.
All of the originals have sold.
Raette now lives in Montana, near Glacier National Park. See her available artwork here.
The story behind Raette’s California Series
One of the many things Raette loved about Thousand Oaks was the rolling hills that expanded behind her childhood home. She would spend most of her free time exploring the hills and losing herself in nature. Her favorite activities included trail running, surfing in Ventura and exploring the Santa Monica Mountains. One of her best childhood memories is the sound of the soft whisper of wind blowing tall grasses. The smell of sage brush on a warm summer day brings her back to days spent in the hills. This connection to nature grounded her from the noisy distractions of town.
She left Southern California primarily because of the closure of some of the hiking trails. Much of the land now belongs to private owners, and closed to the public. Because nature is such a large part of her inspiration, the loss of open land was devastating to her.
In her California Series she hopes to capture the beauty of the land she loves.
