Who is Rippe'

After Ralph was discharged from the service, he attended the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) and majored in product design. From 1959 to 1961 he taught art to children in the 5th to 8th grade at Saint Basil's Orphanage in Philadelphia. He volunteered as a contact worker for five years (telephone hot line) and taught CCD (Sunday school) to children at St. Ephrem Elementary School for twenty-five years.

Ralph worked seven years for HMS Associates, a product development company. For the next sixteen years he was in partnership developing products for industry. At the beginning of 1985 he formed Ralph James Studios, Inc., a product development company. Over the next twelve years RJS grew from one person to an organization of forty-five professional and talented associates. This growth was due to the dedicated efforts of the artists, designers, model-makers, casting technicians, and finishers combining their talents to one goal, service to RJS's Clients.

In August of 1997 he decided to retire from the corporate world, sold his Company and began teaching oil painting. Ralph completed six weeks of intense training to become a certified instructor of the Bob Ross landscape, floral and wildlife technique of oil painting.

Ralph taught oil painting in his Bucks County studio, at Michaels Arts and Craft and at "The Painter's Palette". In December of 2001 he relocated to Chester County and opened Studio Creations, Ltd. where he is conducting drawing and painting classes.

Ralph produces original oil paintings which he exhibits at area art shows. He will also paint a portrait of your pet from a photograph.

Ralph is committed to his craft and states that the day he stops learning and growing as an artist will be the day that he takes his last breath. His goal is to use his talent to reach out to others and have them experence the joy of drawing and painting.