W I L L I A M W R AY
LMarch A A T1 T– April I T U 16 D E
SGFA S UE GREENWOOD FINE ART LAGUNA BEACH, CA
W I L L I A M W R AY William Wray has lived in California most of his life and studied painting at the Art Students League in New York. Making his living as a cartoonist who specialized in painted subjects, he spent many years coalescing a eclectic array of art styles, ultimately finding his voice in a contemporized reflection of traditional California regional painting that focus on humble subject matter rarely considered as fine art. Wray blends traditional skill sets of realism and the sheer energy of abstract expressionism in an ongoing evolution to find the balance between two seemingly unrelated styles. Wray has challenged himself to create a brand of realistic expressionism he hopes to use a bridge into the customarily circumspect contemporary art world. READ LIZ GOLDNER�S REVIEW OF WILLIAM WRAY’S EXHIBITION ON THE BACK PAGE OF THIS CATALOG
Cover: SLO, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 48" x 60" $9,800
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W I L L I A M W R AY
LNAeAwT TW I T oUrDk E March 1 – April 16, 2018 Opening Reception
First Thursday March 1, 6–9 PM
SGFA SUE GREENWOOD FINE ART 330 north coast hwy laguna beach, ca 92651 949.494.0669
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Lean on Me, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 24" x 16" $3,400 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Pink Barn X, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 48" x 32" $6,500 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Horizon #2, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 24" x 32" $4,500 CLICK FOR DETAILS
The Black Tower, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 40" x 29" $5,700 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Guard Rail, 2017 Oil on wood panel (framed) 36" x 24" $4,600 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Pink Rocket, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 49" x 49" $9,500 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Away, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 32" x 32" $5,000 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Red Box, 2016 Oil on wood panel (framed) 9" x 9" $1,000 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Top of the Bottom, 2018 Oil on wood panel (framed) 48" x 48" $9,200 CLICK FOR DETAILS
Suburbia, 2017 Oil on wood panel (framed) 12" x 12" $1,500 CLICK FOR DETAILS
REVIEW
William Wray’s L A A T T I T U D E Continues At Sue Greenwood Fine Art Through April 15 William Wray’s oils pair the energy of urban scenes, along with the serenity of rural landscapes. His background is in drawing cartoons, so it is not surprising that he often reduces his subject matter down to a single or a few buildings, while carefully handling the depiction of each structure. His realistic “Guard Rail” directs the eye to a gray-washed urban street and tall buildings. “Suburbia”composes a row of cookie cutter homes set against utility poles and a highway (both paintings are devoid of people). It acts as a metaphor of the loneliness and starkness of a strain of 21st century life. Evolving toward abstraction, “The Black Tower” depicts a lone tower poised against an orange and purple sky in a statement about the power and dynamism of our cities’ skyscrapers. “Pink Barn,”a brightly colored barn pushing against a verdant green background, is both simple and elegant, elevating the formal and symbolic significance of this simple farm structure. “Pink Rocket,” “SLO” and “Lean on Me,”each with broad, gesturally painted expanses of primary colors and sharp edges, reveal a recent penchant for Diebenkorn’s “Ocean Park” series. The steady progression of this artist’s work from realism to abstraction has become clear, but he has thus far chosen to maintain his deft illustration skills. (Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Orange County)
Liz Goldner