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Description
Hi,

I've toyed with tackling this artists style off and on for over two months. I was struggling to get a setting and theme suitable for his urban landscape style. William 'Bill' Wray (b 1956) is the focus of this exploration of art.

Bill was born into an army family and traveled the world at a young age. By all accounts he nurtured his early artistic talents by taking private lessons from a former Disney artist!

After high school he found work with Hanna-Barbara and has since worked on 'Ren & Stimpy', 'Samurai Jack' and other animated shows - he's also dabbled in comics and has also worked and exhibited as a Fine artist - mostly with landscapes.

I found it odd, given I enjoy examining comics, I first stumbled into Bill's work as a landscape artist. Some of his urban scapes feature superheroes in the persona of the Everyman - derelict, lost and wandering a decaying urban arena, devoid of hope or direction.

It was his bold use of colour, his angular compositions and his colliding heroism and defeat that attracted my attention. Bill's use of colour is unusual and limited colour palette also appealed. He seems to favour grey, drab red, green, blue and yellow. There's not much room for other shades, etc in his work. His attention to anatomy serves only to bring about the atmosphere he seeks to capture.

So, while I was listening to The Ramones, Springsteen and The The to help with the mood, I came up with this idea: here's a leg amputee Velma - ready to take on another opponent in pool at a truck stop dive bar at the urban fringes.

If anyone has any suggestions for me for artists to explore, I'll be glad to listen.

In the meantime, I hope this Velma amuses more than she offends.

As always, many thanks to those who stop by here and leave encouraging word or useful feedback.

Best wishes,

John

Description
Hi,

I've toyed with tackling this artists style off and on for over two months. I was struggling to get a setting and theme suitable for his urban landscape style. William 'Bill' Wray (b 1956) is the focus of this exploration of art.

Bill was born into an army family and traveled the world at a young age. By all accounts he nurtured his early artistic talents by taking private lessons from a former Disney artist!

After high school he found work with Hanna-Barbara and has since worked on 'Ren & Stimpy', 'Samurai Jack' and other animated shows - he's also dabbled in comics and has also worked and exhibited as a Fine artist - mostly with landscapes.

I found it odd, given I enjoy examining comics, I first stumbled into Bill's work as a landscape artist. Some of his urban scapes feature superheroes in the persona of the Everyman - derelict, lost and wandering a decaying urban arena, devoid of hope or direction.

It was his bold use of colour, his angular compositions and his colliding heroism and defeat that attracted my attention. Bill's use of colour is unusual and limited colour palette also appealed. He seems to favour grey, drab red, green, blue and yellow. There's not much room for other shades, etc in his work. His attention to anatomy serves only to bring about the atmosphere he seeks to capture.

So, while I was listening to The Ramones, Springsteen and The The to help with the mood, I came up with this idea: here's a leg amputee Velma - ready to take on another opponent in pool at a truck stop dive bar at the urban fringes.

If anyone has any suggestions for me for artists to explore, I'll be glad to listen.

In the meantime, I hope this Velma amuses more than she offends.

As always, many thanks to those who stop by here and leave encouraging word or useful feedback.

Best wishes,

John