Ralph Felder

Ralph Felder, MBA, CQE
{retired} is a self taught
developing artist. His profession
was a manager for 34 years
with BellSouth Corporation (now
AT&T) in the New Orleans area
beginning in 1973. He received
an MBA from Tulane University
in 1971 and the American
Society for Quality Certified
Quality Engineer (CQE)
certification in 1997 with a
specialty in multivariate
statistical analysis. 1966
Undergraduate degrees in
chemistry and mathematics from
Lamar State Technology in
Beaumont, Texas helped
provide background in this
technical field.

Interest in the visual arts began
in 1975. Copying modern master
works such as Paul Cezanne
and Paul Gauguin, using
charcoal, pastels, and acrylics
was the major learning
approach. Original works soon
included the woodcut block
print. By late 1983, he stopped
creating art work but
experienced a renewed interest
in 2006. Hurricane Katrina
destroyed almost all his early
works. The combination of this
calamity and approaching
retirement awakened new
sensitivities and purpose,
resulting in special commitment
to becoming a highly skilled artist.

But painting in oils, initially
learned from instructor Walter
Johnson in Delgado Community
College oil painting classes, is
now a favorite medium. The
challenge of
portraiture and the
human figure (including the
nude) entices Ralph to draw,
paint, and create sculptures
using live models in New
Orleans Art Academy, a
learning establishment started in
1978 by Auseklis Ozols for
artists interested in a serious
traditional study of the visual
arts. Other subject matter
interest is the
landscape,
including western United States
desert scenes.

Ralph’s driving source of
motivation for creating beauty is
best expressed by Eric Liddell in
the movie ‘Chariots of Fire’
when he said
:

"I believe God made me for a
purpose. He also made me fast.
And when I run, I feel His
pleasure"!