Artist Julian Raven Athens Artfest Guest Artist

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - May 4, 2017 - PRLog -- Artist Julian Raven will be showing his paintings as a 'Guest Artist' at the Athens Artfest in Athens, Pennsylvania on May 6^th and 7^th.

Reading the Artfest mission statement encouraged Raven; "The purpose of the Artfest is to expose and educate both students and individual members of the community to art, in all its forms…" With such a broad vision Raven contacted organizer David Webster to see if there was still room or a cancellation, since it was only a couple of weeks before the event.  Applications closed in January 2017.

David Webster's vision to increase the platform for the showing of visual and 2D fine arts was clear and having another professional artist show his art dovetailed with the vision.  Raven was invited to show as a guest artist.

Julian Raven was born in London, England.  He grew up in Marbella, on the Mediterranean in Southern Spain.  At the English International College in Marbella, under the teaching, encouragement and mentorship of California born Artist David Bodlak, Raven pursued the fine arts in painting & drawing.  He ended up going to college in London at the prestigious Chelsea School Of Art and Design.  Raven was to discover a different atmosphere at Art College in London that was cold, aggressive, hostile and depressing compared to the positive encouragement of his mentor David Bodlak.

The vision of freedom, of painting in the bright and sun-soaked picturesque mountain villages in the Andalusian countryside eclipsed the 'prestigious' grey and dreary London art scene.  You can ready the rest of the story at www.julianraven.com.

Raven mostly sells his huge paintings internationally through 'Saatchi Art', a global Internet art gallery.  He is a 'Saatchi' featured artist with a 5 star rating having made significant sales over the last 4 years.  Raven has sold to art collectors nationally in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.  He has also shown locally at different venues over the last few years and at the Sammer Art Gallery in Puerto Banus, Spain.

Raven's work is expressive, gestural, passionate, bold and packed with energy.  His large abstract expressionist and impressionist works draw inspiration from his spiritual journey and inner world emotions and from his impressions from upstate New York's dramatic and magnificent seasons. Raven maintains his 6000 sq. ft. studio in Elmira, New York.  He also paints at home in his country studio where he lives with his wife and 3 children.

Raven has also dabbled in political art.  In 2016 his prescient political portrait of Donald Trump was a featured part of the presidential election.  Raven was invited by Yosi Sergant, former White House liaison of the Arts under President Obama, National Endowment For the Arts Communications Director and the inspiration and manager of the Obama 'Hope' painting by Shepherd Fairey, to show his painting at 'Politicon', in Los Angeles along with the nation's top political artists.  His work was shown with along with the 'Hope' painting by Shepherd Fairey and other artists like Robbie Conal, SABO, Illma Gore and others in this select and by invitation only political art show.  Raven was invited as a guest speaker along with a long list of top national political pundits, former governors, a former President, Presidential candidates, comedians, actors etc. from all sides of the political spectrum.

Artist Julian Raven will have a selection of original paintings on show & sale at the Athens Artfest, from large to small.  For more information about the Athens Artfest please go to www.athensartfest.com