Art is woven into our everyday lives—visible in nature, architecture, and even in the ways people live and express themselves. At its core, art is shaped by perception; once you begin to understand that, you can appreciate diverse perspectives and use them to form deeper connections within your community. This is exactly what local artist Ripley Clementine achieves through her work.
Meet Ripley
Meet Ripley, a local Horizon West artist. Clementine, originally from Connecticut, moved to the sunny state of Florida over a decade ago. She has been a Horizon West resident for a little over three of those years and has loved the experience of being part of the local community. Clementine describes Horizon West as the perfect piece of modern-day suburbia in an otherwise heavily tourist-driven area.
“It has been fascinating watching the community develop so much,” Clementine said. “Local spots like Filigree or Home State have really aided in creating spaces that allow the community to grow.”
Clementine made the move from Connecticut to Florida to pursue her dream of working at Walt Disney World. During her nine-year career with the company, she accomplished many notable achievements and fostered a community of positivity and strength within her work. Clementine was able to do many exciting things with the company, but there was always something more that she dreamed of, something that had always been there but needed her full attention to grow. In October of 2025, Clementine decided to take a risk and make the leap of faith that would ultimately lead her to pursue a new dream: becoming a full-time artist.
“Now it’s my goal to showcase my unique artistic perspective and connect with local communities,” Clementine said.
Digital Illustrations and One-of-a-Kind Pieces
Clementine’s primary focus as an artist is digital illustration. She believes that modern-day artists have access to powerful and impressive technology. Because of that, she is able to channel many different artistic styles. With one of the programs she uses, she can create paintings that resemble real acrylics, while with another, she can develop clean, shape-based graphics for businesses. Being the creative that she is, she can even merge the two styles to create a blend of organic and structured design.
In addition to her digital illustration, Clementine has been able to use a longtime hobby to create one-of-a-kind pieces. She does this through upcycling, which she describes as a huge part of who she is. Clementine has been going antiquing since she was young and has carried that passion into many aspects of her life. The ability to look at something old and envision it as something new is, in itself, art. Clementine yearns for that moment when an old piece is given new life. One of her most recent projects involves painting over vintage vinyl records. She takes old records and paints over them, usually reimagining them as album covers. Horizon West is such a young, developing community. So much around us is new, our homes, our retail spaces, our restaurants. This creates a special opportunity to connect the old with the new. What from our past can we evolve into our present?
A Heart for Community
Through her work, Clementine offers a variety of services. With extensive practice and experience, her range of artistic skills is what sets her apart. This adaptability gives her the ability to make art speak many languages. One of her main focuses right now is graphic design and branding. As a storyteller, Clementine enjoys connecting with people and businesses—especially small businesses—and using their stories to create strong visual identities. Some of the services she offers include sticker design, business cards, flyers—you name it. Additionally, Clementine provides community-based work. One of her most popular offerings is pet portraits. Drawing on her deep love for animals, she is able to capture the special bond pets share with their owners and translate it into a beautiful portrait—one that defies words. Portraits are a perfect way to pay tribute to them and capture even a small piece of their loving energy.
Recent Work
One of Clementine’s most recent projects is one she is especially proud of and one that could serve the Horizon West community in a fun, uplifting way. That project is her coloring book, “Cosmic Critters.” Recently self-published, Clementine describes it as “hands down the most proud I’ve been of a project.” Every page of the coloring book was drawn and designed by her, and all of it is completely original. She sees it as a chance for people to tap into their creativity and challenge themselves.
“It has been so heartwarming seeing what people have created,” Clementine said. “I’ve seen people incorporating many different artistic mediums—pencil, marker, cellophane, even wax and glitter—and I’m looking forward to releasing another one.”
If you are interested in Ripley Clementine’s work, you can find her on Instagram at @love.clementine.art and @themystictemplate. You can also email her with commission inquiries at [email protected]. Her coloring book is available on Amazon at Cosmic Critters
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