Rena Risby

Rena Risby is an American oil painter based in Los Angeles, California. Working primarily in portraiture, her paintings explore memory, black family life, faith, and the moments that often escape historical record. Drawing from her own personal experience, family history, and self directed photography, she creates intimate works that preserve everyday moments before they disappear into memory. Influenced by the traditions of classical European painting, Risby approaches portraiture as both an act of observation and preservation. Rather than recreating history as it has traditionally been represented, she expands its visual language by placing black figures and domestic life within a lineage of classical oil painting. Her work is grounded in the belief that ordinary moments possess the same permanence and significance as the grand historical narratives that have long dominated Western art. Loose, painterly passages coexist with carefully observed form, allowing sections of a painting to dissolve while the figure remains present. This tension reflects the nature of memory itself, where details soften over time while presence endures. Whether depicting a family member in reflection or an arrangement of everyday objects, Risby's paintings seek to honor the lives, relationships, and traditions that shape personal and collective identity. Risby earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art, with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing, from the University of California, Los Angeles. Alongside her studio practice she teaches painting and host workshops. She has a deep passion for sharing traditional oil painting techniques while continuing to develop a body of work centered on portraiture.