RAY WARD: May 6 - 22, 2005, The Main Street Gallery, Sidney, BC.
"Tidal Pool, Gabriola Island"
Ray Ward, "Tidal Pool, Gabriola Island," 2005, oil on canvas, 14" x 18".
RAY WARD
May 6 - 22, 2005
The Main Street Gallery, Sidney
By Melissa Whitlock
Encountering a painting by Ray Ward is akin to a stroll down a Tuscan street, or standing by a rocky cliff on the British Columbian coast. As a realist painter, Ward is adept at reproducing his chosen subjects for the audience. However, the beauty of his city or landscapes lies in his ability to convey the painted moment not with vivid detail but through the suggestion of detail. Photographic elements, which the viewer feels could be present, are obliterated by the use of strong, specific light. This light not only reshapes the skillfully executed images, but it also lets the audience know exactly how it felt to be there as the sun set, rose, or beat down on the scene. “In many cases the lighting can outweigh the subject matter and transform an ordinary scene,” Ward says.
Represented by: The Main Street Gallery, Sidney, BC; The Adele-Campbell Gallery, Whistler, BC; Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC; and White Rock Gallery, White Rock, BC.
