Lyndia Radice, MS (Sp.Ed.) LISW, was born and raised in New York City. In 1974, she earned a BA in Music Performance from Queens College and performed as a classical musician in the US and Europe for ten years. At age 37, she earned an MSW from Columbia University and an MS in Special Education from Bank Street College. For the next twenty years, she provided special education and child therapy services in NYC and the Bronx. In 2001, she lived for three months in the Ecuadorian Amazon and helped an indigenous community start a kindergarten. In 2006, she moved to rural New Mexico to serve as child/adolescent behavioral health coordinator for Alamo Navajo Reservation. She also provided mental health and developmental educational consultation services in Albuquerque and Bernalillo for Cuidando Los Ninos and PB&J Family Services until she retired in 2013.
Some of her drawings have been exhibited in U.S. galleries in PA, NY, NJ, and WA and at the 30th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition. Her photographs have been shown in exhibitions in NM, TX, WA, NY and CO. Her photographs are part of the permanent exhibit at Tularosa Basin Gallery of NM Photographers in Carrizozo, NM.
Artist Statement
Throughout my life, I have drawn, painted, and taken photographs. Music and art are essential parts of my spiritual practice. My approach to art is contemplative and introspective. My move from New York City to the high desert of southern New Mexico ten years ago was a dramatic change from urban to rural environment. I learned to slow down. My meditation practice includes long silent walks on my land. I contemplate plants, trees, birds, and insects to deepen my connection with the natural world.
In January 2017, as a contemplative exercise, I set a goal to create at least two digital paintings per week. I use Photoshop to create art based on my bird and nature photographs. It is important to note that I do not employ automatic “create a painting from your photograph” apps. Rather, I begin with an original photograph as a foundation. Then, using Photoshop’s wide range of brushes that mirror traditional watercolor, pastel and other mediums, I build up my image using layers upon layers. A painting may contain 25-30 layers and take 10-15 hours to complete.
Learning this technique reignited my interest in photography. Every morning and evening, I try to capture images that will work well as both photographs and paintings. My viewpoint and perspective have undergone subtle shifts as I continue this process. My connections with birds and wildlife have deepened and my awareness of our need to protect them has blossomed. It is my hope that my digital paintings will deepen viewers’ connections to the earth and its creatures.
