Raya Simpao is a Filipina artist from Manila, Philippines. Moving to the United States marked a dramatic shift in environment, sparking a deep curiosity about the possibilities of figurative painting. The foundation of her practice is a thoughtful, intentional seeing. For Raya, painting begins with a sincere awareness of one’s surroundings. Her work serves as a record of time spent with a place, a person, or an idea. As she builds images, she draws from memories of the familiar as well as from encounters with the unfamiliar. Most formal decisions within the work such as shape, color, and light, explore the space between naturalistic and synthetic, often pushing the boundaries between the two. The paintings are often tonally ambiguous and spatially dynamic. We are introduced to each scene through a lens deliberately shaped by the artist's unique sensitivities, experiences, and instincts. At the heart of her practice is an ethic of care. Raya considers the act of seeing– of looking closely, looking again, and looking with intention–as a form of labor that must be sustained by profound and persistent care.
Raya received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2026 and was an attendee of the Yale Norfolk School of Art in 2025. She was a recipient of the Florence Leif award and the 2026 Spring Innovate Grant. Raya has been featured by a number of arts platforms such as Nicotine Magazine, The Hopper Prize, House House Magazine, and Booooooom. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.