Ramona Candy's Page

Ramona Candy was born in Brooklyn, New York and began her creative career as a child. Her mother was a dressmaker and in her family’s tiny apartment, Ramona was always surrounded by fabrics, colors, threads and patterns which, she feels had a great influence on her life and helped developed her talents. Though she did not inherit great sewing techniques, she definitely inherited her mother’s creativity (for which she will always be grateful). Ramona went on to earn a degree in Art at CCNY, while also studying dance in studios throughout NYC. Her passion for dance developed into a performing and teaching career spanning over 25 years.

 “As a dancer, I found voice, passion, and my connection with culture and personal heritage. My visual art continues the exploration of cultural consciousness. Memories are visited, rhythms emerge and movement is constant! As performer, creator and heir to a remarkable heritage, my expression has always come through the arts. Having communicated through movement most of my life, it’s only natural that it show in my works on paper and canvas. Just as dancers communicate by negotiating space, I choreograph with brush, knife and paper to engage you, hoping to move you, bring to mind your own heritage and your joyful memories.  Drawing on exciting moments in my dance career, the richness of my Caribbean heritage; and my childhood in Bedford Stuyvesant, I have - embedded in my memory - vibrant images of rhythm and culture, color and movement.” Ramona expertly works with the paper medium - in her collages; and chine collé used in printmaking - as “it evokes a certain vitality and an element of surprise.” She says, “There is no separation between my passion for dance and heritage and the enthusiasm I have for the work I create on canvas and paper. I am a choreographer on canvas.”

Using her talent as a performing and visual artist, Ramona continues to involve herself in her community. She currently teaches dance workshops at St. Joseph’s College, where she also sits on the Arts Council and she once served as Artist-in-Residence at a Harlem hospice through the Creative Center. She has served as artistic director and sat on the board of several arts organizations in Brooklyn, including SONYA (South of the Navy Yard Artists), Cultural Crossroads, Inc and presently, the Brooklyn Contemporary Chorus. She has won several honors for excellence in art as well as her community work. She was the featured artist for The International African Arts Festival 2006. Her art is included in several public and corporate collections including the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Dunn Development Corporation, Rugged Cross Apartments, Museu Brasileiro da Escultura - MuBE Sao Paolo, Brasil and Pinacoteca de Sao Paulo, Brasil.  She has exhibited in various galleries and venues in and out of NYC, including Tabla Rasa Gallery; Corridor Gallery; Bronx Community College; Astor Theatre, NYC; Taller Boricua, NYC; Hudson Guild Gallery, NYC; Hanson Gallery, Honesdale, PA; Visual Arts Center of New Jersey; Pen and Brush, NYC; Rush Arts at Pfizer Corporation, NYC, to name a few. 

Ramona’s collage, “Shekere with Bey” was chosen to represent Brooklyn Academy of Music’s DanceAfrica, 2010. This holds special significance for her, in that she performed on the first DanceAfrica stage with Charles Moore Dances and Drums of Africa in the late '70's and for several years after. Says Ramona, “it is full circle - dancer/artist/dancer.”

Ramona works out of the Goloborotko print studio in Red Hook and maintains her own studio in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.