Featured Artist: Dray

In a continuation of our Featured Artists series, Dr. Dabber sat down with artist Dray. From time-to-time, Dr. Dabber is exposed to unique artistic talent groups that inspire and motivate us through their creations. We decided to share our discoveries with you to shed light on their unique talents.

When did you first discover your love for art?
When I was a kid, I discovered I could draw at a young age. In grade school, I would draw other classmates pictures for them. I would draw dirt bikes and trucks.

What's your favorite part of the creating?
When you can see what you want to do in your mind and the actual pieces comes out way better.


What defines your style?
Freedom, a looseness if this makes sense? These days my paintings are a lot less structure. A lot of drips and splatters of paint.

Name one artist from any time in history you wish you could hang with?
Basquiat

What’s your creative background?
What isn't my creative back is a better question. Haha, before I chose to pursue visual arts as a career I was a professional recording engineer & producer. I have credits with RCA, Capital Records, Artisan Entertainment, Interscope, and others.


How do you feel art can affect society?
Art makes you think. It's a language that communicates and transcends. It can be a tool for awareness. It can also be harmful, depending on how it is used.


Do you have a dream project you would like to try and conquer?
Yes. I'm actually in the process of mapping out the details of a project. It will combine both visual arts, music, and dance. Imagine what a painting would sound like...... Imagine what a music composition would look like.......
Then imagine how both would move. This is the experience I want to conquer.


What's the first piece of artwork you ever sold?
A portrait of Larry Bird in 1992. I scared to see what it looks like now. I could always draw from a kid, but my first paintings were terrible. I started painting in 1992 also. Self-taught.

Tell us a little bit about your love for music? Do you like jamming in between painting?
I always practice a little bit before painting. It puts me in a happy feel good place. Then I pick up a paint brush and dwell in that happy place until I've completed my creation.


Who are your favorite musicians?
Prince.


Tell us about how you’ve seen the local art scene in Las Vegas grow?
The arts have definitely been one of the major things to change downtown Las Vegas. I've watched it go from a seedy place to the place where you want to be and hang out. It seems as if a lot of this has happened within the last few years. Even though art events like First Friday started in 2002. There was a time when the art scene here was stagnant. Like 2007 - 2011 in my opinion. I actually moved away for a few years because of this. Later things would change so I moved back to Vegas in 2014. 


Tell us about your travels around the world, do you have a favorite spot you visited or how any of these stops have helped shape you as an artist?
The only place so far that I've traveled to that had a direct effect on my art and me was a stay in Sri Lanka. I dedicate an entire year to painting Buddhas because of it. The series was called the year of the Buddha. Images and the story about that visit are on my website. http://www.draystudio.com/buddha-series.html