Raya was born (Jane L. Geisler) in 1952 in Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA); to a family that embraced creative efforts as a way to make life better.  A father who designed and built their homes and a mother who used her talents with the sewing machine to decorate those homes (Elizabeth Geisler later became a nationally known weaver and teacher of Nantucket Tapestry Stlye Baskets). Her family incouraged her pursuit of Art as a way towards a fullfilling life.

 

    At 16, Raya auditioned and was accepted to apprentice with the Sculptor and Professor (and co-founder of the Art Department of New College) Jack Cartlidge at his studio in Sarasota Florida.  While learning various sculpture techniques she also discussed her life goals: to be an Artist.  It was through these discussions that Raya chose her path of self imposed learning; a very personal path of exploration and building on knowledge discovered.  Turning away from conventional art school training she forged her own way, occasionally taking a workshop or community college class with a teacher whose work or knowledge intrigued her.

 

    At 17 Raya began a 22 year foray into jewelry design which carried her from being a Street Artist in San Francisco, California to designing and creating jewelry for a Fortune 500 Company (Circle Fine Arts) and other top USA jewelry manufacturing companies.  During these years Raya studied art history, created Cartoons of personal and social commentary, Fantasy colored pencil, Acrylic and oil paintings (often of dragons) and studied print making at Redwood Community College in Mendocino California.

 

    In the mid-1980's Raya took on the job of designer and Director of the Etching Department at the Phoenix Art Press in Phoenix, Arizona.  Durning the few years she was there, Raya saw her work selling throughout the United States, realized she had a thirst for color and learned a great deal about the "Business" of Art.

 

    By 1992 Raya's paintings and mono-prints were being represented by the art agency, Art's Alive based in Scottsdale Arizona.   Raya continues to be represented today by Progressive Fine Art based in New York and Tornoto Canada.  Her work has been shown at the New York Art Expo since the mid 1980's.  Raya's work (over 5,000 original works of Art)  has been shown and sold on every Continent of the Earth. 

   

    The Artist currently has a studio near Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.   Raya enjoys traveling and loves to paint outdoors (en-plien-aire) as well as contiuning with her exploration of Art and Life.