Photo Cred: @indiehair

“Art is our past as well as our future. We live in a time where barriers are being broken between people everywhere. The landscape of the art world industry is ever changing. There has never been a better time to be an independent artist.” -Heidi Luerra

RAW’s slogan playfully states “We dig the underground.” The eclectic organization acts as a platform and a bridge for a various set of artists to be seen, heard, and loved. On January 19, 2014 they held the RAWards: The Indie Arts Awards at Exchange LA in DTLA to commemorate the top RAW artists in the nation.

This celebration electrified the room and showcased the driving force inside each and every passionate artist who continues to lead the charge forward in creating a more inspired, abstract, and innovative world.

It takes a tenacity to follow what you’re born to do. The courage to express, create, inspire, provoke, and to make a statement.|To have the guts to never ever give up|.

Photo cred: @taytomp

I leave you with the wise words of the multi-talented Mr. Rutledge:

"Find out who you are and figure out how to use it. Lets remember life is good. It is as we choose it. It all depends on what we make what we take and what we do with all these little choices." –Chris Rutledge, poet, tap dancer, painter

If you’re all about being ‘in the know,’ be sure to check out their site so you can keep up to date on what’s going on within the underground arts and attend the next show in your area: Raw Artists