Artist Review: Rex Ray

One local San Francisco artist that I enjoy is Rex Ray. Ray has been doing graphic design, canvas, and collage work since the early 1990s. Inspired early in his career by music, he started off doing posters and CD covers for bands such as The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, and Bjork. Over time his work evolved and now he is best known for his large abstract canvas and collage pieces. I first saw Ray’s work on calendars and note cards at Chronicle Books. His colors, forms, and textures immediately inspired me.

Ray’s colors are unexpected and thoughtfully juxtaposed. A deep, cerulean blue next to a hot pink – colors that in isolation might seem tacky, or jarring, but together appear modern. The colors are what initially draw you into his pieces – they radiate, and I would imagine if they were hanging in a gallery or museum, they would dominate the room.

Secondly, Ray’s use of form and negative space is interesting. Mimicries of natural objects, he repeats egg-like ovals, waves, and plant like branches. Many of his pieces seem like blown-up images from a microscope, perhaps bacteria or cell structures.

A third inspired element in Ray’s work is his use of texture – he uses wood textures frequently, as well as rough brush strokes and sponge-like impressions. The visible texture reminds the viewer that although these works are graphic and modern, seemingly digital, they are in fact handmade and rooted in a craftsman style.

Ray has been quoted as saying his mission is simply to “create beautiful things” – this approach makes his work fairly accessible to the masses, a combination of fine art and “applied art”. Which is exactly what I love about it – beautiful pieces that are interesting on a variety of levels, but are also aesthetically pleasing enough to hang unobtrusively in your home. Crate & Barrel agrees, and has carried some of Ray’s pieces in their stores and catalogue.

See more of Rex Ray’s works at http://www.gallery16.com/index.php?page=artists&artist=rr&rex_medium=collage