Biography
Ray Swirsky is a Calgary artist who first began painting in his late 50s. With no formal education in the arts, he has grasped on quickly to understand the fundamentals of light, value and intensity and is continually working out of his home studio on developing his skills on how to best use these fundamentals to create depth and interest in each of his paintings. He works with both brush and pallet knife creating works that vary in detail from fine realism to a looser, almost abstract, style of realism, his focus being on the creation of realistic value based scenes when viewed from a distance versus closeup realism.
His new works are inspired by his own indigenous Metis background, and brings forth elements of our North American history in the form of unique works in oil.
Having grown up in the small town of Kimberley, BC, Ray has never lost his connection with nature. His love of the mountains and western landscapes can be seen in the bulk of his paintings. He does paint other subject matter from, portrait, still life to action scenes which can all be viewed on his website. Much of his work is commissioned work for clients, a process he loves and enjoys very much.
Ray is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists (AFCA) and the Alberta Society of Artists (ASA). Ray’s work has been well received into many juried exhibitions with works being sold throughout Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany, South Africa and Australia.
Ray has been a regular exhibitor at Calgary Exhibition and Stampede since 2019, and the Great Western Show in Montana since 2022.
Artist Statement
This new series of paintings is a narrative that is both personal and historic. I have an indigenous background, Metis, and it is this heritage that prompted me to create this series of work.
The combination of painting an old historic map from the archives behind an indigenous scene also from the archives, creates what I hope the viewer sees as an intriguing layer of meaning, highlighting themes of origin, history and heritage. The viewer is invited to reflect on this unique relationship between the land and its people and how it was abruptly changed by the introduction of European settlers.
These maps, I use in the backgrounds, are hand painted onto the canvas, each one sourced from the archives from the mid to late nineteenth century. It was a time when the governments of North America were in Treaty negotiations with the indigenous people, moving them from open un-bordered spaces into select restricted boundaries called reservations.
While art offers the viewer an appreciation of the scene created by its form, colours, and composition, it sometimes can be more when it invokes conversation and discussion. I believe that our history and where we come from is important, and if my art opens up discussion of our past and present, then I have achieved something with this art.