Carl Ray
Encyclopedia
Carl Ray was a First Nations
artist who was active on the Canadian art scene from 1969 until his passing in 1978. Considered primarily a Woodlands Style
artist, he also painted European style wildlife and landscapes. He was a founding member of the Indian Group of Seven
.
reserve in northern Ontario, Canada and was known in his Cree
community as Tall Straight Poplar (he was 6'4" tall) where he hunted and trapped after leaving residential school at fifteen following the death of his father. At this traditional way of living he was a failure - in Carl’s own words years later: “a year’s catch consisted of four beaver
, one lynx
, and an assortment of mice
and rabbits”. Despite showing artistic promise at an early age, Carl was reluctant to break the taboo
of painting the sacred beliefs and stories of his people. He did not touch a brush or paint for many years after having been admonished by his elders for doing so.
He eventually left the reserve to work in the Red Lake
gold mines where his drinking and guitar playing abilities earned him the nickname Ira Hayes
. However, his excesses caught up with him and he contracted tuberculosis
, eventually recovered in Fort William
and returned home in 1966. It was not until then that Norval Morrisseau
’s success in breaking the painting taboos allowed Carl to confidently pursue his craft, which in many cases, included “legend painting” and painting wildlife and northern scenic landscapes.
He apprenticed under Norval Morrisseau
(who had already achieved national and international acclaim) and worked on the mural for the Indians of Canada Pavilion of Expo ’67 in Montreal. Norval had designed and sketched the mural but it was Carl who did most of the work and was left to finish it. Unfortunately this masterpiece is lost as it was left to fall into disrepair and was eventually demolished years later.
As well as translating the legends, Carl also created a large and impressive group of illustrations for James Stevens’ book “Legends of the Sandy Lake Cree” in 1971. Stevens reported that Carl “perceived this reversion to a more austere style as a loss of face” Many of the illustrations were later shown at the Aggregation Gallery in Toronto and would somewhat haunt him since it was now the kind of work that was expected of him in certain markets.
With the help of Ontario Department of Education Superintendent Robert Lavack, Carl embarked on a tour teaching art at schools in northern communities including Kirkland Lake, Timmins, Blind River, Wawa, Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Sudbury, Levack, North Bay, Bracebridge, Oshawa and Whitby. Carl also taught at the Manitou Arts Foundation on Schreiber Island in 1971. The following year the department of Indian Affairs sponsored the tour through northern communities and reserves.
Carl continued to develop and paint through the mid 70’s completing notable large scale mural opportunities at schools and the Sioux Lookout Fellowship and Communications Centre as well as smaller works becoming more and more popular with white buyers. By 1975, the Indian Group of Seven
had formed and Ray was enjoying acclaim and purchases by notable collectors such as Dr. Peter Lewin and Dr. Bernard Cinader, as well as public institutions such as the McMichael Canadian Art Collection
. He also illustrated the cover of “The White City” published by Tom Marshall in 1976. Much of Carl’s art was influenced by his often troubled personal life and inner demons and excesses.
Carl was known by his peers as a man of general good humour. He was also known as somewhat of a jokester as described by fellow painter Alex Janvier
: “Carl Ray was the guy who could laugh, make fun of you, throw a joke on you and he’d laugh his head off".
Carl Ray was murdered, stabbed to death, as a result of a drunken brawl over money in Sioux Lookout in 1978. He was only 35 years old. In a note to Carl Ray by George Kenny after his death he wrote “I wonder if those paintings you painted ever satisfied your demons that drove you to paint…Didn’t you realize that fame only comes at the meeting of one of those demons – DEATH? ….Now we’ll never know the extent of your greatness…”
(often referred to as "legend painting" style).
Lacking sophisticated technique, but resplendent with powerful imagery, his super-realistic images were unique, and his signature style is easily recognized. Describing his work, Carl stated "What you are looking at is ancient and sacred. In fact what you see could be described as a part of my soul". The spiritual and emotional commitment he put into his work was substantial - "his (work) came from a very deep journey, a lot of people are afraid to make that journey" Many of his works were limited to two or three colours, brown, black and blue, often mixing ink and watercolours.
His lesser known, but equally powerful scenic western style canvases were also a large part of Carl's repertoire. Often ensconced in hues of electric blue, he captured the wildlife and beauty of the Sandy Lake area. He also combined the two styles on occasion, capturing his imaginative images of Cree legends in full electrifying colour.
1970 Confederation College, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
1971 Fort Frances Public Library.
1972 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
1972 Gallerie Fore, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
1972-1977 Aggregation Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
1974 Contemporary Native Arts of Ontario, Oakville Centennial Gallery, Ontario.
1975 Dominion Gallery, Montreal, Quebec.
1975 Wallack Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
1975 Art Emporium, Vancouver, B.C.
1976 Contemporary Native Arts of Canada - The Woodland Indians, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto - travelling exhibition
1977 Contemporary Indian Art - The Trail from the Past to the Future, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario.
1978 Art of the Woodland Indian, McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario.
1979 Kinder des Nanabush, from the McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario.
1980 Contemporary Woodland Indian Painting, New College, University of Toronto, Ontario.
1983 Contemporary Indian Art at Rideau Hall, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa, Ontario.
1984 The Image Makers, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto - travelling exhibition
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
artist who was active on the Canadian art scene from 1969 until his passing in 1978. Considered primarily a Woodlands Style
Woodlands Style
The Woodland School Of Art, also named Woodlands style, Woodlands School, or Anishnabe painting, is a genre of painting among First Nations and Native American artists from the Great Lakes area - including northern Ontario and southwestern Manitoba...
artist, he also painted European style wildlife and landscapes. He was a founding member of the Indian Group of Seven
Indian Group of Seven
The Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporation, better known as the Indian Group of Seven, was a group of professional Indian artist from Canada, founded in November 1973....
.
Biography
Self taught artist Carl Ray was born in 1943 on the Sandy Lake First NationSandy Lake First Nation
Sandy Lake First Nation is an independent Oji-Cree First Nation. The First Nation community, in the west part of Northern Ontario, is located in the Kenora District, northeast of Red Lake, Ontario. Its registered population in June 2007 was 2,474...
reserve in northern Ontario, Canada and was known in his Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
community as Tall Straight Poplar (he was 6'4" tall) where he hunted and trapped after leaving residential school at fifteen following the death of his father. At this traditional way of living he was a failure - in Carl’s own words years later: “a year’s catch consisted of four beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
, one lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, and an assortment of mice
MICE
-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...
and rabbits”. Despite showing artistic promise at an early age, Carl was reluctant to break the taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
of painting the sacred beliefs and stories of his people. He did not touch a brush or paint for many years after having been admonished by his elders for doing so.
He eventually left the reserve to work in the Red Lake
Red Lake
-Lakes:*in the United States**Red Lake , the largest lake entirely within the state**Red Lake , a lake in Orlando, Florida**Red Lake **Red Lake *Rotsee , in Switzerland...
gold mines where his drinking and guitar playing abilities earned him the nickname Ira Hayes
Ira Hayes
Ira Hamilton Hayes was a Pima Native American and an American Marine who was one of the six men immortalized in the iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima during World War II. Hayes was an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton, Arizona, and enlisted in the Marine...
. However, his excesses caught up with him and he contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, eventually recovered in Fort William
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
and returned home in 1966. It was not until then that Norval Morrisseau
Norval Morrisseau
Norval Morrisseau, CM , also known as Copper Thunderbird, was an Aboriginal Canadian artist. Known as the "Picasso of the North", Morrisseau created works depicting the legends of his people, the cultural and political tensions between native Canadian and European traditions, his existential...
’s success in breaking the painting taboos allowed Carl to confidently pursue his craft, which in many cases, included “legend painting” and painting wildlife and northern scenic landscapes.
He apprenticed under Norval Morrisseau
Norval Morrisseau
Norval Morrisseau, CM , also known as Copper Thunderbird, was an Aboriginal Canadian artist. Known as the "Picasso of the North", Morrisseau created works depicting the legends of his people, the cultural and political tensions between native Canadian and European traditions, his existential...
(who had already achieved national and international acclaim) and worked on the mural for the Indians of Canada Pavilion of Expo ’67 in Montreal. Norval had designed and sketched the mural but it was Carl who did most of the work and was left to finish it. Unfortunately this masterpiece is lost as it was left to fall into disrepair and was eventually demolished years later.
As well as translating the legends, Carl also created a large and impressive group of illustrations for James Stevens’ book “Legends of the Sandy Lake Cree” in 1971. Stevens reported that Carl “perceived this reversion to a more austere style as a loss of face” Many of the illustrations were later shown at the Aggregation Gallery in Toronto and would somewhat haunt him since it was now the kind of work that was expected of him in certain markets.
With the help of Ontario Department of Education Superintendent Robert Lavack, Carl embarked on a tour teaching art at schools in northern communities including Kirkland Lake, Timmins, Blind River, Wawa, Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Sudbury, Levack, North Bay, Bracebridge, Oshawa and Whitby. Carl also taught at the Manitou Arts Foundation on Schreiber Island in 1971. The following year the department of Indian Affairs sponsored the tour through northern communities and reserves.
Carl continued to develop and paint through the mid 70’s completing notable large scale mural opportunities at schools and the Sioux Lookout Fellowship and Communications Centre as well as smaller works becoming more and more popular with white buyers. By 1975, the Indian Group of Seven
Indian Group of Seven
The Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporation, better known as the Indian Group of Seven, was a group of professional Indian artist from Canada, founded in November 1973....
had formed and Ray was enjoying acclaim and purchases by notable collectors such as Dr. Peter Lewin and Dr. Bernard Cinader, as well as public institutions such as the McMichael Canadian Art Collection
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an art gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada, northwest of Toronto. It houses an extensive collection of paintings by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, and First Nations and Inuit artists....
. He also illustrated the cover of “The White City” published by Tom Marshall in 1976. Much of Carl’s art was influenced by his often troubled personal life and inner demons and excesses.
Carl was known by his peers as a man of general good humour. He was also known as somewhat of a jokester as described by fellow painter Alex Janvier
Alex Janvier
Alex Janvier, AOE is a Native Canadian artist. As a member of the commonly referred to “Indian Group of Seven”, Janvier is a pioneer of contemporary Canadian aboriginal art in Canada.- History :...
: “Carl Ray was the guy who could laugh, make fun of you, throw a joke on you and he’d laugh his head off".
Carl Ray was murdered, stabbed to death, as a result of a drunken brawl over money in Sioux Lookout in 1978. He was only 35 years old. In a note to Carl Ray by George Kenny after his death he wrote “I wonder if those paintings you painted ever satisfied your demons that drove you to paint…Didn’t you realize that fame only comes at the meeting of one of those demons – DEATH? ….Now we’ll never know the extent of your greatness…”
Style
Carl Ray is best known for his work executed in the style of the Woodlands SchoolWoodlands School
The Woodlands School is a movement in Canadian art; see Woodlands Style.There is a number of schools called Woodlands School or have similar names:* The Woodlands College Park High School, Montgomery County, Texas, USA...
(often referred to as "legend painting" style).
Lacking sophisticated technique, but resplendent with powerful imagery, his super-realistic images were unique, and his signature style is easily recognized. Describing his work, Carl stated "What you are looking at is ancient and sacred. In fact what you see could be described as a part of my soul". The spiritual and emotional commitment he put into his work was substantial - "his (work) came from a very deep journey, a lot of people are afraid to make that journey" Many of his works were limited to two or three colours, brown, black and blue, often mixing ink and watercolours.
His lesser known, but equally powerful scenic western style canvases were also a large part of Carl's repertoire. Often ensconced in hues of electric blue, he captured the wildlife and beauty of the Sandy Lake area. He also combined the two styles on occasion, capturing his imaginative images of Cree legends in full electrifying colour.
Solo exhibitions
1969 Brandon University, Manitoba.1970 Confederation College, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
1971 Fort Frances Public Library.
1972 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
1972 Gallerie Fore, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
1972-1977 Aggregation Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
Group exhibitions
1974 Canadian Indian Art '74, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.1974 Contemporary Native Arts of Ontario, Oakville Centennial Gallery, Ontario.
1975 Dominion Gallery, Montreal, Quebec.
1975 Wallack Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
1975 Art Emporium, Vancouver, B.C.
1976 Contemporary Native Arts of Canada - The Woodland Indians, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto - travelling exhibition
1977 Contemporary Indian Art - The Trail from the Past to the Future, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario.
1978 Art of the Woodland Indian, McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario.
1979 Kinder des Nanabush, from the McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario.
1980 Contemporary Woodland Indian Painting, New College, University of Toronto, Ontario.
1983 Contemporary Indian Art at Rideau Hall, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa, Ontario.
1984 The Image Makers, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto - travelling exhibition