Lucy Ray

Lucy Ray is a Melbourne artist raised in Yeppoon, on the traditional land of the Darumbal People of Central Queensland. She currently splits her time between Australia and Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Lucy began her career by completing a diploma in fine arts at TAFE Queensland, followed by a bachelor's degree in interior design and the built environment. She then worked as an illustrator, digital artist, and textile designer before returning to fine art in 2017.

Since moving part-time to Abu Dhabi in 2019, Lucy has actively engaged with the art community both in Australia and internationally. She has exhibited and hosted a workshop with Black and White Diary's traveling gallery in Dubai and Melbourne, participating in invitational group shows and collectives.

In 2022, Lucy held her second solo show in Melbourne and was a finalist in the Gosford Art Prize and the Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award. She also received the Works on Paper Prize for Brunswick Street Gallery's Fifty Squared Art Prize and the Art Room Award in Tacit Art's Still Life Prize.

This year, she exhibited work in Exploration 23 at Flinders Lane Gallery, Locals 23 at Outré Gallery, and the Delphin Opencall 23 show. Lucy was a finalist in the Dobell Drawing Prize and was published in Booooooom!'s Tomorrow's Talent Book III and issue 8 of New Visionary Magazine. In December, she will attend the Vermont Studio Center for an artist residency.

As of July 2023, Lucy is represented by Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne, Australia.


Artist Statement

Lucy Ray's work centers around reconstructed compositions of real and digital memories from the places she has lived in and traveled to, creating images that evoke a strange nostalgia. Together, her works build a world that conveys a sense of familiarity, unease, and tension, hinting at events that may or may not have happened.

Whether evoking sentimentality, foreboding, or transformation, her art invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences and connect with the inner landscapes we all navigate.


https://www.lucyrayart.com/

How has the environment you grew up in affected your art practice?

Growing up, I could do whatever I wanted to my room, which was pivotal in shaping my outlook. That, coupled with my parents' support and encouragement of creativity, made me a daydreamer who could make their interior world real.


If your artwork was a mirror, what would it reflect?

I already consider my work to be a mirror of sorts. Each person's reflection is individual; what they bring to the work in front of them—whether it's their emotional state or life experience—shapes that reflection.


What is the most difficult part (or your least favorite part) of your process?

Occasionally, I hit an impasse in the middle of a series where I have many pieces at the halfway point. I tend to have a small tantrum with all of them; it's a 50/50 mix of being over them and knowing how much work is needed to finish.


Pursuing ‘artist’ as a career is not for the faint of heart. What is the most rewarding aspect of this pursuit?

Seeing people react to my work never gets old. The best feeling is when they share their stories about the work before them.


If your art is in a lineage of artists working within similar veins, who would be part of your lineage and why?

So many artists from various backgrounds and practices have influenced my work. Here's an overview of my stylistic influences:

Jean Giraud, AKA Moebius: I grew up reading and watching manga and anime, and Giraud's world-building and beautifully illustrated work formed an early cornerstone of how I construct my ideas.

Vija Celmins: Her works have much more to them than simply replicating reality; they possess an aura of enigma.

Pat Perry: His works are rich with narrative and storytelling, glowing with hazy nostalgia.