Wray, William

Prior to becoming a full-time artist, William Wray enjoyed a successful career
as both cartoonist and animator, including spells with Disney, Hanna-Barbera
and Marvel. Over recent years his focus has turned to paint as a medium for
chronicling and reflecting the ongoing changes to the urban landscape of his
native California which he knows so well. Abstract and contemporary, Wray’s
oil paintings document a world in flux and yet contain a commonality and
resonance which transcends parochial categorisation and geographical or
topographical boundaries. In avoiding purely nostalgic renderings, Wray
challenges the viewer to consider wider socio-political issues through his work.
Wray’s formative experiences were cosmopolitan as the family moved between
Maryland, Europe and South East Asia before settling in California. After
studying at Art school in New York he eventually relocated to the West Coast
where he currently resides. Having been garlanded with critical praise for his
exhibitions, Wray now finds his paintings in increasing demand from a
worldwide collector base. Whilst his unique blend of urban realism and
abstraction is his predominant focus, he is also recognised for his figure, interior
and flower paintings. He is a respected member of both the Oil Painters of
America and the California Art Club.