About
Artist Statement
Nath of Sculpting with Cactus
I live and create in the heart of the old Wild West, just north of the US-Mexico border in Southern Arizona — a land of thorns, stone, and spirit. With my husband Ron and our dogs Jesse and Bella, I’ve carved out a life shaped by the resilience and wild beauty of the Sonoran Desert that I call home.
The desert doesn’t just survive — it thrives through adversity. So do I. I live with rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic pain that reshapes every day. But pain has a way of stripping life down to its essentials. What remains is purpose. What remains is inspired creation.
I’ve spent over a decade developing a unique method to honor the raw elegance of ethically sourced desert cactus and fossil wood. My work is the organic evolution of my new art form, rooted in nature, shaped
by resilience over pain, and ignited by the untamed spirit of the desert. It begins as a conversation with nature, as I walk through the desert. Each piece I sculpt is hand-shaped, reimagining the cactus fibers and ancient wood into luminous, lasting forms.
A metamorphosis occurs and a new creation slowly emerges, grown through the wild alchemy of nature and imagination.
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These are not just sculptures — they tell the story of beauty carved by endurance through hardship. Each one speaks of both it's and my own transformation — of breaking, healing, and blooming again.
I hope my art inspires a visceral connection: to the land, to resilience, and to the courage it takes to rebuild something beautiful from what was once broken. We too can pick up the often-shattered pieces of our lives and build anew. We begin when we are willing to open our minds to try new things, even when we could fail.
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This is the soul of the Sonoran Desert.
It echoes within my soul as well.
These are the stories the desert still whispers.
These are the stories I sculpt.
An Artist's Perspective
Desert Radiance in Cactus and Stone
It may take years, but each desert fossil wood reveals its inherent essence and form, waiting to be brought to life. Nath draws inspiration from the beauty etched and embedded within each cactus piece’s strong, enduring fibers, which embody resilience and strength. Once the design takes shape in her mind, the cactus is meticulously hand-formed, sculpted, and painted. The result is a harmonious blend of hard and soft cactus fibers and fossil wood, united with a silky, luminous sheen. Each sculpture is finished with multiple layers of UV-protective archival coat and mounted on a carefully chosen piece of beautiful Arizona petrified wood that enhances the sculpture.
While photos can offer a glimpse, this website endeavors to capture the allure of Nath's mesmerizing art. It simply can't show you how they change luminescence in various lighting and settings that highlights their intricate beauty. When you bring a Nath Raye sculpture into your home, its rich meaning, jewel-like colors, and luminous glow will captivate you, evolving and transforming throughout the day and night.
* Nath only uses dead cactus carcasses found only in legally accessible areas of the desert, and never, ever tears live cactus from the ground.
Publications & Credentials
Education
Curriculum Vitae
Publications & Presentations
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Publication: SWARMS: Global Political Protests and Regime Response
LAP Lambert Academic | Publications
https://www.amazon.ca/Swarms-Global-Political-Protests-Response/dp/3659421278
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Panel Chair: Understanding and Responding to Crisis, Resistance and Extremism
Academic Council on the United Nations System, Global Governance Conference, Kadir Has Universitesi, Istanbul, Turkey
​Panel Presenter: Swarms: Global Political Protests and Regime Response
International Human Rights Conference, Kadir Has Universitesi, Istanbul, Turkey
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Panel Presenter: Understanding Swarms: Weak Ties and the Digital Platform in Political Protest
Southwest Social Sciences Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
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Presentation: The Swarm Effect in Political Protest
Graduate Research Symposium at New Mexico State University
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Film Credit: The Next Megaquake
BBC Horizon Science & Nature Program
Credentials
Graduate Certificate: Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program, Florida State University
Professional Development Certificate: FEMA, Emergency Management Institute, Department of Homeland Security
Certified Insurance Counselor: The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors
Registered Representative: Securities License 6 and 63, Mutual Fund and Annuities Representative, FIRA
Property and Casualty, Life and Variable Life Insurance licenses: Oregon, Washington, Missouri and Arizona
Certified Risk Manager coursework: National Alliance Insurance Education and Research
Central Oregon Battering and Rape Alliance, Member of the Board of Directors
Eastern Oregon University Foundation, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee
Shelter from the Storm (Domestic Violence, Oregon), Chair of the Board of Directors
Greater Newport Oregon Chamber of Commerce, Business Person of the Year, 2008
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Oregon State University, Associated Students, Student Affairs / Volunteer Affairs Director
New Mexico State University, Graduate Student Organization
New Mexico State University, Government Graduate Student Organization
University of New Mexico, Political Science Student Organization
Florida State University, Graduate Public Admin & Policy Graduate Student Organization
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Tubac Center for the Arts
Academic Council on the United Nations Systems
International Studies Association
American Society for Public Administration
Pi Sigma Alpha, Political Science Honor Society
Golden Key International Honor Society
Pi Alpha Alpha, Public Affairs and Administration Global Honors Society
SERVICE, MEMBERSHIPS AND RECOGITION
Tubac Center of the Arts
Facilitator, ProPath for Artists
Florida State University. retired.
Mentor, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Disaster Planning, Foundations of Emergency Management
New Mexico State University retired.
Adj Professor, Department of Political Science
Courses: American Politics, Political Science, International Politics
Guest Lecturer, American Presidency, Citizen & the State, Political & Social Movements
Graduate Assistant Instructor, Political Science
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Regents Professor Dr. Nancy Baker
Florida State University
Guest Lecturer, Askew School of Public Administration and Policy,
Graduate Theoretical Perspectives Public Policy
Harmening Financial
Partner Certified Public Accountant and Financial Services firm
Daily operations, strategic planner, risk and contract negotiator
Executed strategic plans, marketing, joint ventures and client liaisons
Analyzed business trends, formulated strategic marketing, and business plan
Oregon University System
Facilities Management Analyst
Chancellors Office, Capital Construction Business Officer
Performed fiduciary due diligence
Allocated legislative limitation and funds, monitored contracts
Executed construction budget, monitored budget timelines / processes
Conducted policy analysis, formulated and presented draft legislative policy
Florida State University
Doctoral Studies at Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
Coursework: Public Policy Theory, Public Administration, Organizational Behavior, Institutions and Society, Logic and Ethics, Analytical Techniques
Research Areas: Responsive Regimes and Their Institutions, Coalitions, Political Protests, Civil Liberties, Cyber and Human Security
Florida State University
Graduate Certificate: Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Coursework: Emergency Management, Emergency Management Planning and Policy, Disaster Recovery and Mitigation, International Comparative Disaster Management, Terrorism
University of New Mexico
Doctoral Studies in Political Science Coursework: Social and Political Movements, American Politics Research Areas: Legislative Bodies, Public Interest, Economic Policy, Political Protests
New Mexico State University
Master of Arts in Government; Minor in Intelligence and Securities
Thesis: Understanding Swarms: Weak Ties and the Digital Platform in Political Protests
Thesis Chair Dr. Nancy Baker
Graduate Coursework: Political Theory, American Politics, Cyber-politics, Global Protests, Regime Cybersecurity, Comparative Politics, Mexican American Politics and Issues of Social Justice, US-Mexican Border Policy, Nationalism, Qualitative Research Methods
Oregon State University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Major Marketing, Minor Social Sciences
Certificate in Women Studies