Interview With Oliver Ray, Artist
(added February
4, 2006)
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] I
received an article submission titled "Ten
Tips for Buying Art - and Getting the Best Bang for Your Buck!"
on my TipzTime.com website
from artist, Oliver Ray. I browsed through his online art gallery
and really enjoyed his work. I wrote him to see if he would like
to do an interview and share his story. He has agreed to...
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com]
Have you always wanted to be an artist?
[Oliver Ray] Almost my whole life. Until I
was 12, I really wanted to be a cowboy (or cop), but after that,
I was definitely most interested in art.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] What
other types of things do you love to do?
[Oliver Ray] Landscaping
and renovations! Christie and I bought our first house two years
ago. It’s a real fixer-upper but we’ve really enjoyed transforming
it. Outside we’ve created different gardens and planted a variety
of trees. Inside we’re in the process of enlarging my studio space…we
hope to end up with a 1200 square foot open studio area with lots
of light.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] What
is the funniest painting you have ever done?
[Oliver Ray] Funniest?
I’m sure many critics might find my work funny, although I don’t
intend it to be. In high school I used to draw caricatures of
my teachers, which my friends and I found quite funny (although
the teachers in question usually felt differently!)
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Did
any particular books influence the way you learned art?
[Oliver Ray] My extended family is filled
with professional artists and art lovers, so I have always had
access to a huge library of art books- both instructional and
reference.
There was a set of books I remember in particular. They were published
in Britain in the 60s and each one offered a brief biography and
displayed the most famous works by a master artist (from Rembrandt
to Dali). I remember using these books to try and reproduce certain
techniques as a young boy.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] What
tools do you use when painting and why?
[Oliver Ray] I use all
the usual oil painting materials. My technique, though, is pretty
rough, so I use the mid-grade, synthetic brushes that can take
a lot of abuse. I also like to paint on masonite (hardboard) from
time to time. It isn’t as sensitive as canvas and can take a lot
more pushing, poking and scraping.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Is
there anything in particular that influences what you paint?
[Oliver Ray] The Austrian
expressionist Egon Schiele and his mentor, Gustav Klimt have always
impressed me. Their use of color and exaggerated forms greatly
influenced the development of my current style.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] You
attended the University of Northern British Columbia. Did you
intend to make art your career?
[Oliver Ray] Definitely.
Art doesn’t require regular hours, so you can experience a lot
of what life has to offer and still pursue your artistic goals.
In fact, I would argue that your art only benefits from increased
exposure to different things…different opportunities.
UNBC is also one of the newest, highest ranked schools in Canada,
so I was ecstatic when I received the acceptance letter. Although
my degree is not in Fine Arts, I think the experience helped me
develop as a person and, in turn, as an artist.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Were
you able to afford to go to the University yourself or did you
get financial assistance or a grant?
[Oliver Ray] I managed to work during the
summers to help pay for tuition, but did receive a government
student loan. Canada has some excellent loan programs to ensure
equality of access to most potential students…regardless of their
income.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Is
there anyone in particular that you admire in the art world?
[Oliver Ray] Tom Thomson.
He is perhaps the most famous Canadian artist to date. Not only
do I love the raw, spontaneous and impulsive way he portrayed
our country’s landscape, but I also admire the way he lived his
life.
He didn’t start painting fulltime
until his early 30s, and chose not to pursue a formal fine arts
education. Instead, he took his paint box into the wilderness
(usually via canoe) and employed his own technique to depict what
he saw. His work, which didn’t incorporate any of the European
styles that were popular at the time, was the first to be called
truly “Canadian”.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Is
there anyone whom you would like to meet?
[Oliver Ray] Robert
Bateman. He is probably the most commercially successful living
artist in Canada. What I admire most is that he built his career
entirely outside of the mainstream art world. In fact, sadly,
many critics have still not recognized the artistic value of his
realistic, wildlife paintings. In my mind, though, his are the
most beautiful paintings in that genre, and have been for the
past four decades.
He is probably in his seventies now, and I’m sure he gets many
requests to meet with young artists. Who knows…maybe I’ll send
him a letter. .
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Do
you think there is a lot of competition in the art industry?
[Oliver Ray] Artists by
nature are not very competitive. Having said that, there are definitely
more full-time artists selling their wares now than ever before,
but there are also many styles and genres to accommodate us. The
Internet has really helped transcend regional boundaries and allows
artists to access collectors on a much wider scale. In short,
the number of artists has increased, but the number of “art consumers”
has increased at a higher rate.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Is
it hard to get your artwork displayed in art galleries? Do you
need an agent or manager?
[Oliver Ray] It’s very
difficult. Most of the artists I know who work with professional
dealers have had to do a lot of leg work before getting representation.
Quite often, only 5% - 10% of the galleries you approach will
actually agree to carry your work.
I prefer to stay independent, selling my work personally and through
my online studio. It’s a lot of work, but I get to maintain control
of my career.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] How
many art shows do you tend to do each year? How many paintings?
[Oliver Ray] All of my
exhibiting is online. The people I want to reach don’t really
go to art shows (or galleries for that matter). My goal when I
set up my online studio was to access people who enjoy art, but
might not necessarily care for a gallery setting.
As for paintings, I probably finish two each month, on average.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Do
people tend to be more interested in your original paintings or
your prints?
[Oliver Ray] Thankfully,
my prints have become very popular. It helps that they are relatively
inexpensive and don’t require framing. By being a self-representing
artist, I’ve been able to keep my costs down (galleries often
take a 50% commission on the art that they sell). I also limit
the amount of prints I make for each original painting to 100,
which seems to attract collectors.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Would
you ever consider illustrating a book?
[Oliver Ray] Absolutely!
I would especially love to illustrate a children’s book. Picasso
said that, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain
an artist once he grows up”. I think the art children see is just
as important as the words they read. It nurtures creativity.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] What
is it you wish to convey through your paintings?
[Oliver Ray] At the risk
of sounding artsy-fartsy, my main goal is to paint human emotion.
Usually, I try to express what I think a particular subject might
be feeling, whether it’s a musician trying to strike that perfect
note, or two lovers looking into each other’s eyes.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] What
types of things do you do to promote your artwork?
[Oliver Ray] Network, network,
network. Wherever I go, I always make sure I have a fistful of
business cards in my pocket and I present one (or several) to
every new acquaintance I make. It sounds cheesy, but it’s the
least expensive, most effective way to meet potential collectors.
I find that people like to know as much about the artist as the
art itself.
[Wendy
at Dreamish.com] Do
you have any advice for people interested in making art a career?
[Oliver Ray] A good plan
is paramount. It’s safest to build up a hefty body of work before
setting out to make art your only source of income. At first,
you won’t have time to paint. You’ll have to dedicate every waking
hour to promoting yourself. It’s also best to have an avenue in
place to sell your work (i.e. a website or gallery). Once you’ve
established that beachhead (and made some sales), you can more
safely drop everything and dive in.
Above all else, my advice would be to trust that you can be successful.
Shakespeare said it best: “Our doubts are traitors, and make us
lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt”.
Thank-you for sharing your story, Oliver. I look
forward to seeing more of your art in the near future.
- You may be interested to read more about Oliver Ray and his
fine artwork listed on his website. You will also find numbered
prints of his art. To visit Oliver Ray's website » Click
Here
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