Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio proudly presents, Shadowless by Ray Leight, from Saturday, April 7 through Monday, May 14, 2012. This special exhibition focuses exclusively on the Pennsylvania artist Ray Leight. Shadowless by Ray Leight strives to pay homage to the creativity and innovation of this unique artist. The exhibition will feature over 30 works which have never before been exhibited. An opening reception will be held at the gallery on April 7, 2012, from 5pm-8pm.
Ray Leight (1931-2011) was a dynamic, progressive artist from West Point, Pennsylvania. Without formal training, Leight was featured in seven solo museum shows. He was the first American artist to have a solo exhibition in China, at the Fudan University Museum in Shanghai.
Seeing the potential to make art from common objects, Leight started his career by making sculptures from scrap metal and wood covered in paint. These whimsical, vividly colored works of art secured Leight a one-man exhibition at the Allentown Art Museum and a reputation as “a contemporary Horatio Alger”. Leight expanded his artwork to include expressionist paintings. Exaggerated hues, intangible forms, and black outlines applied with an illustrative brush stroke are signatures of Leight’s work.
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In the tradition of Gratz Gallery, Ray Leight is one of the innovative and creative painters of Pennsylvania. His work has been recognized by local and national collectors in recent years. Part of the allure is his unparalleled capacity to capture what is truly American. All-American themes appear continually and clearly inspired Leight’s work:
For Leight, the American Indian, the cartoon, and jazz music are the nationalistic elements that become motivating visual factors in the production of his art. Add to these preoccupations a feel for the world of dreams (often with disquieting overtones) and one discovers how the Pennsylvania artist triggers our subconscious and draws out a sense of childlike wonder, with a sense of humor as well . . . Again we find a bonding of the obvious and the elusive.
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- Sun Sentinel; As American As Indians, Cartoons And Jazz, November 08, 1989; by ROGER HURLBURT, Art Writer
Early in his career, Leight realized that art had an affinity to music. He saw that these media transcend and surpass boundaries. Strategically, Leight collaborated with 12 Chinese artists for the show Ray Leight and the Shanghai Cartoonists’ View of America. This show promoted cross-cultural exchanges and ideas in a period where China was still extremely isolated from the Western world. His unique approach, bold use of color, and passion combined with his wittiness and distinct charm created works that have a universal appeal – free of boarders.
A catalog of the show will be available on the Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio website prior to the event. Visit www.gratzgallery.com to preview the exhibition.
Located at 68 S. Main Street in Doylestown, Gratz Gallery and Conservation Studio features 19th and 20th century American Art, as well as museum quality fine art conservation services and custom framing.
The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sundays, 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m., as well as by appointment. Call 215-348-2500 or visit the Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio website at www.gratzgallery.com.
