Meet Mike Ramy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Ramy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, how do you think about risk?
Risk-taking and seizing opportunities are essentially the same, and to me, the greatest risk lies in not seizing those opportunities. You can’t truly know if an action is risky until you face failure; if you succeed, then it wouldn’t be considered a risk in my view.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The creative spirit inside me has motivated my life from early childhood. Many attempts and endeavors through the years have been disappointments as the realization sets in; ‘This Ain’t for Me’ or I am not good enough to take this to the next level. Although the attempts at different disciplines have not worked out, I realize now the importance of the path I was on as each failure has benefited my vision, my art and my life in some way. You have to look for the positive in every negative situation and learn from your mistakes. My corporation, Rock Art, Ltd now has 3 main divisions:
1) Precision Epoxy – https://www.precisionepoxy.com
Immediately after high school in the early 1970s, Rock Art was established as an epoxy installation company specializing in flooring, decking, and specialty products. In those initial years, I consistently devised improvements that surpassed the existing market offerings for epoxy materials. This led to the inception of Precision Epoxy Products. As an epoxy chemist, I developed specialized epoxy formulas for my applications, unavailable elsewhere. My most significant achievement was refining the Epoxy Surface Plate, Metrology Plate, and the Precision Air Bearing Floor Systems for the motorsports and aerospace industries. These perfect floor plates offer a practical alternative with clear benefits over the other alternatives, Steel and Granite Plates. Over time, Precision Epoxy Surface Plates have evolved to accommodate a broader spectrum of industries, with tailored versions for various requirements. Although advised to patent my innovations, I chose to remain significantly ahead of the competition, rendering patents unnecessary. More than 40 years since installing my first surface plate, I remain the sole provider of this application worldwide.
2) Mikie Productions – https://www.mikieproductions.com
The purpose of my photography is to capture and express the beauty of Nature and Wildlife that has been a major influence in my life from childhood till today. Not bound by the professional biologist’s mandate of identification and documentation, my photographs freely focus on the unique expression, composition, and movement of these subjects. My childhood and teenage years were a great adventure, as I spent all my summers, holidays and available weekends at my Great Uncle’s farm in Fort Gaines, Georgia on the Chattahoochee River which instilled my appreciation for nature. The Natural World today is shrinking at an alarming rate, many of the locations that I explored as a teenager and young adult in the 1960’s and 70’s are no longer the pristine natural environments that I enjoyed. My photography affords me the opportunity to convey the ‘Art of Nature’ towards educational pursuits while helping to promote an awareness towards the preservation of Nature for future generations.
3) Wilderness Photography Foundation – https://www.wildernessphotographyfoundation.org
My dedication to ecological and conservation issues has led to the establishment of the Wilderness Photography Foundation. Its mission is to inspire a new wave of environmental conservationists. “Art, through creative expression, can inspire wonder, initiate dialogue, challenge preconceptions, unite diverse thoughts, envision new solutions, and drive positive change.” Bearing this in mind, I’ve organized an exhibition featuring 96 fine art nature photographs by 47 top nature photographers. This two-year, ten-gallery tour across the southeast is designed to encourage people to forge a connection with and cherish the natural world through captivating visuals. As proponents of safeguarding nature for the coming generations, we hold that nature photography is an influential medium that can cultivate a profound respect and understanding of the environment, meriting its inclusion in policy-making.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Visiting the area for me can encompass a broader range than most might envision. My epoxy work spans across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. My nature photography is focused on the southeastern US. If the visit occurs in the spring, from late February to early April, we would be navigating my custom-built camera boat on the St. Johns River and through the Ocala National Forest, immersing ourselves in the wonders of nature in some of Florida’s last remaining pristine wilderness.
Should the visit take place in November or December, we would find ourselves on the Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers in south-central Tennessee, observing the Sandhill Crane migration. We would relish the sights and sounds of over 20,000 Sandhill Cranes as they stop to feed and select mates during their migration.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Martha Janette Ramy, my mother hometown Ft Gaines, Georgia, was by far my favorite person, my mentor, my biggest fan and the one person I could always depend on for setting an example for positive direction. Her unwavering love, guidance and ability to support without hindering my freedom to export was a perfect combination. She instilled in me a work ethic that has been so valuable.

Website: https://www.precisionepoxy.com – https://www.mikieproductions.com – https://www.wildernessphotographyfoundation.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.ramy – https://www.facebook.com/precisionepoxy – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084899127067 –

Image Credits
Image Credits: Mike Ramy and Randy Johnson