LCE: What was your connection to art growing up and how did you first start exploring art? 

MR: I was fortunate to be born into a family of creative intellectuals. Many of my family members were in the arts as visual artists, actors, playwrights and musicians. Being a part of their world and having the exposure to their brilliance had a profound influence on my creativity and my mindset towards the arts in general. I began painting and singing and doing poetry and songwriting at a very early age. I was on stage performing at five or six years old. Trinidad Carnival also played a major role in my creative development. Being exposed to such an outburst of creative expression in costuming, and music and performance at an early age was a unique and special reality for someone creatively inclined. 

LCE: What is the relationship between your personal experiences and your art? 

MR: My art is all about personal experience. I always say I use my paintings as a visual diary of my life story. I am documenting daily what we are experiencing as a society. My work reflects my journey as well as that of my family and friend’s experiences. I am commenting on life’s highs, lows and every human emotion we can possibly feel, I try to express on canvas. The hope is that I create work that is as authentic as possible hat then resonates in some manner with anyone viewing my art. 

LCE: In what ways do you want your art to impact or challenge your audience, and what would you like them to take away from your work? 

MR: I am always striving for authentic expression with anything that I create. It must be truthful for one to feel the piece. I am addressing so much of the human condition with my work. At the end of the day, I want anyone viewing my work to ‘feel’ something. Some of the messages are heavy and some are meant to be playful and put a smile on your face. My last solo show at Von Lintel Gallery in Los Angeles featured all collage work and I was blown away by how many people told me that they left feeling ‘peaceful and happy’. It is a blessing to be able to bring people joy. 

LCE: The David Rubenstein Atrium is a haven for connection, dialogue, and accessibility in the arts and we are thrilled that your work will commemorate its 15-year milestone of free programming to our audiences. How do the performing arts inform your creative process? 

 MR: It is such an honor to be featured on such a milestone anniversary of the Atrium. I started off in the arts as a singer songwriter many years ago and I feel like performance art is still so integral to my story telling as a painter. I can’t separate music from visual art. When I am painting, I sometimes have these melodies and lyrics that come to my head as I am creating. So, for me it is a natural companion piece to the visual art I am producing. With the AR installation at The Lincoln Center, I included a taste of my original music to accompany the visuals. I am excited to be able to have both mediums be in conversation. 

 LCE: Lincoln Center Editions has commissioned many renowned visual artists throughout its 60+ year history. Are there any past collaborators who inspire your practice? 

 MR: What amazing company to be in. I am indeed inspired by many of the great artists in the program. From Sam Gilliam to Reggie Burrows Hodges to John Baldessari to Malcom Morley. They all play a role in influencing some direction one takes their art practice at some point of one’s career. My very first solo gallery exhibit featured a painting that was hung in tapestry style much like Sam Gilliam did with his loose canvases. CCH Pounder who curated that show, gifted me with one of his books during the installation of the show and I thought I would pay tribute to him by hanging one of the pieces in a similar manner. Malcom Morley’s ‘Tankerton Bay’ reminds me very much of my AR painting installation ‘Safe Space’ which can be viewed at The Lincoln Center Plaza this summer. The style and placement of imagery in his print is simply delightful and takes me to a perfectly happy place much like my AR painting does. 

LCE: Can you walk us through the piece, Love Is Our Language and share the inspiration behind it? 

MR: Love is always a major reoccurring theme in my art. The language of love is a universal truth that I subscribe to. I feel like love truly has the power to unite us all. If you lead with love in your life, you can navigate your journey here on this planet in such a profoundly beautiful manner. 

In the painting there are people of all ethnic backgrounds, of all races and they all are harmoniously intertwined and experiencing each other’s energy. It is a celebratory and joyous painting where we all unite to celebrate in love.