Photo: In the undisclosed studio, with The Malingering Buttress 11-26-2023

If you ask Amazon's Alexa, "Who is C.M. Ralph?"

She'll tell you that I'm an artist and designer who's been creating for decades. 

That sounds about right.

I strive to live my life every day from a center of gratitude.

I believe that human creativity is a sacred practice through which we may reach the numinous domain of the transcendent.

The Latin words in my seal translate to, “Eye, Hand, and Pen.”

I agree with Steven Pressfield who wrote, "The Artist's Journey is about the Art, not the Artist."

Altered Focus

In September 2023 following cataract surgery, I was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. A tragic diagnosis for anyone, and it was devastating for me as a fine art illustrator. In the days after the diagnosis, I quickly determined I needed to change my priorities and alter my focus to strictly be on creating as much art as possible while I still can.

Background / Education

I've been illustrating in pen & ink for over 50 years and working with digital 3D/CGI/VFX for over 25 years.  A late bloomer, I graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz program for Interactive Media Design in 2002. I went on to teach Digital Film Editing & Special Effects at the University for 3 years. I graduated from the New York Alternative Film School in 2004. In the latter part of 2022, I graduated from a course on the European History of Art Nouveau from The University of Oxford, England.

The Rest

I am a self-aware eccentric recluse and dyslexic bibliophile. I prefer to define myself rather than be defined by others. I'm an avid user and collector of Fountain Pens, as well as a Zen Buddhist who studies Mythology, Folklore, Children's Literature, Jungian Psychology, and Philosophy. My newest hobby is flying aircraft & modding in Microsoft Flight Simulator. My life is shared with 4 hooligan felines, whom I adore. I loathe social media and cell phones and only use them when necessary for business. (That said, I’ve become acquainted with some wonderful people from around the world via the internet. See Special Guests)

I’m not anti-social, I’m just anti-social media.

I feel it’s unhealthy and fosters cyberbullying, the spread of misinformation, screen addiction, self-esteem issues, social isolation, polarization, echo chambers, cyberstalking and harassment, decreased privacy, and increased personal comparison and envy.

Andy Warhol Was Right

My 15 Minutes of Fame - In 1989 I created and published the world’s first LGBTQ+ computer game which was freely distributed to raise funds for AIDS charities.

The game was revived in 2017 (the story can be heard in the NPR interview) and can be played on an emulator here: https://archive.org/details/hypercard_caper-in-the-castro

My NPR TED Radio Interview

Legal Blurb - My game is not in the public domain, is not for sale, and is not available to be licensed.

It was registered for Copyright in 1989, All Rights Reserved under Registration Number-  TXu000363013 / 1989-03-21. Y 

Typically, I only grant interviews and image publication permissions to credentialed educational institutions, Non-Profit LGBTQ+ Reviewers, Educators, and Fundraisers.