Before he became an artist, Byron Ramos joined the Army because he’s a first generation Mexican/Guatemalan American.  He recognized he had vast opportunities his cousins would not, simply by the nature of being born.  He also grew up knowing many fathers and mothers being deployed and killed overseas.

The artist was recruited into Special Forces into a new type of unit designed to be dropped behind enemy lines and establish bases of operation that would not be resupplied.  The elevated brotherhood, standards, ethics, and training of this unit would go on to shape much of the artist’s views on life, art, religion and philosophy.

While in the Army, the artist executed daring sea rescues, saved dozens of lives, detonated buildings, stormed beaches, and dropped boats (and himself) out of airplanes and helicopters.  Many cameras were sacrificed in the process, as well as a few of the artist’s bones and some of his brain.

Ramos started his artistic journey while in Army Special Forces taking photos as a hobby.  His expressiveness as an artist grew when he began experimenting with creating Latino art by meshing urban photography with Latin color styles into a form he calls “Neo-Urban Photography.”  However, he found a special affinity for merging the idea of stone with the sea.  While he still is a photographer, instead of the rifle, it is now the hammer and chisel he wields.​

Ultimately, it might have been the second knee surgery, the third drowning at sea, the mass graves, or the fumes from the storage shed he lived in while on meager Army pay (it’s because he found out artists made more money, Army pay is pretty… bad).  The artist decided it was time to set sail from the Army and carve his experiences in stone.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Stone sails are about the bones in the ocean. The lost friends. About remembering to turn towards the dawn even though there is only darkness. They’re about heading into the unknown, even if you are alone. It’s about the mentality of being calm no matter what. Never giving up. It’s about facing the terror of death and fighting for the hope of life. The sails represent the smells and spray of the sea and the tragedy, tumult, shame of war and life. The healing and hope of living. Often, the stone will break or chip in an unexpected way. It will require pre-emptive care, or later repair. Ultimately, you must deal with failure. It is unforgiving like the sky. It is uncaring like the sea. It is a great equalizer. It dosen’t care who you are. It is, or will be broken, and in someway must be repaired, worked around, or incorporated. When you fail with the stone, you must deal with it, you must make good of it, or give up. Failure, when faced, can be made into something better then failure alone. Stone sails are the Art of Failure.

LINKS

https://www.byron-ramos-sculpture.com/

https://www.instagram.com/captainmobius1/

IMAGES

Byron Ramos, “Water from Stone,” 2023, alabaster and wood burl, 30x22x24 in.

Byron Ramos, “Hope is Found,” 2023, onyx stone in a wooden wheel on top of a welded steel base, 66x32x8 in.

Byron Ramos, “Mimiw,” 2023, limestone, selenite, granite, brass, 17x5x 5 in.

Byron Ramos, “The Navigator Rise Again,” 2023, Alabaster, Soapstone, 15 x 15 x 26 in.

Byron Ramos, “Alabaster Sail,” 2023, Alabaster, Blue Peruvian Calcite, 4in x 6in x 14.5in

Byron Ramos, “Art of Failure or Pride of the White Star Line,” 2023, Marble, Brick, Driftwood, 28 x 27 x 12 in.

Byron Ramo, “8 Bells,” 2023, Marble, Iron, Brick, 26 x 14 x 9 in.

Byron Ramos, “Sailing with Cement Squid,” 2023, Orange Alabaster, Acrylic, 12.5 x 7 x 5 in

Byron Ramos, “Though My Helm is Broken, I am Not Lost,” 2023, Iron, Wood, 16.5 x 30 x 5 in

Utah Artists Directory

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