Alexis M Ramos

Texas Born & Valley-raised artist Alexis Marie Ramos, originally from
Weslaco, currently attends the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley,
College of Fine Arts pursuing her MFA. Ramos received her BFA at UTRGV
with a focus on ceramics. Under the mentorship of Professor Douglas
Clark, she learned the art of lost-wax bronze casting and was engaged in
the creation of several monumental sculptures in the Rio Grande Valley.
Ramos also collaborated with artist Vilma Flores and The University of
Texas Rio Grande Valley in bronze casting the new UTRGV ceremonial
graduation mace and presidential medallion. Ramos received her
Associates Degree at South Texas College and actively exhibits works in
several of their galleries.

Ramos’ current art is centralized around La Cocina, and the many
intricate roles women play as kitchen curanderas. Drawing inspiration
from being raised in el Valle Del Rio Grande Valle, many of her sculptures,

installations, and paintings illustrate the remedies used to treat culture-
bound syndromes. Ramos explores the local culturas’ relationships with

food, religion, folk medicine, and the kitchen curanderas who pass on
these traditions. Ramos explores the border where food and folk medicine
blur and how backyard ingredients are used as both medicine and
essential sustenance. Her research is about the preservation of local oral
traditions and is focused on creating an archive of how local Latinos of the
region heal the home, the family, and even how commercial objects are
imbued with folk magic.