Scissors, Colour and the Joy of Making: What Rex Ray Taught Me

When Art Feels Like a Spark

Some artists feel like kindred spirits the moment you encounter their work. For me, Rex Ray was one of those rare, electrifying discoveries. His art, bursting with colour, rhythm and unapologetic joy felt like a personal invitation to loosen up, lean in and let playfulness lead.

I still remember that first encounter with his work: the thrill, the lift, the sense of possibility. It was like someone had cracked open a window in my creative brain. Leafing through Rex Ray: Art + Design has become one of my favourite rituals. A reliable dose of energising colour and pattern that never lets me down.

Shapes That Sing

Rex Ray’s work defies easy categorisation. It’s abstract, handcrafted and unmistakably his. As the book’s introduction puts it, “Drawing inspiration from the fluid forms of mid-century modernism, Rex Ray creates a retro-futuristic line that is all his own.”

He himself admitted, “I don’t try to intentionally make them retro, but I have to admit that a lot of the shapes I use are playing off those from ’50s and ’60s modernism.” That blend of homage and originality is part of what makes his work so compelling.

Wrong Enough to Be Right

His approach to colour was equally fearless. Inspired by Man Ray’s candlelit experiments, Rex would work under dim lighting, letting unexpected combinations emerge. “These are so wrong they’re right,” he said. That phrase has stayed with me. It’s a reminder that beauty often lives in the accidents, in the places we’re taught to avoid. That philosophy has gently nudged me to embrace unpredictability in my own practice, to let go of control and see what surprises emerge.

No. 3578, Rex Ray

Layers You Can Almost Touch

There’s a tactile magic to his work that’s hard to capture on screen. His collages, layered with hand-painted and printed papers, are intricate, textured and deeply personal. They shimmer with detail, each piece a meditation on form and rhythm. And yet, they never feel precious. Rex Ray’s art was as at home in a museum as it was in a boutique hotel or a Bowie album cover, an R.E.M. poster, or an Apple interface. That fluidity between fine art and design, between digital and handmade, is something I deeply admire.

From Mouse to Paper

Like Rex, I come from a graphic design background and I’ve felt that same tug between the precision of the screen and the freedom of the studio. He moved from graphic design to fine art, trading digital tools for scissors, glue and painted paper. He once said that his collage work began as an act of rebellion, a way to silence the inner critic. That resonates so strongly. I’ve found that same liberation in cutting, layering and letting intuition lead.

Untitled #4208, Rex Ray

Making, Night After Night

Rex Ray’s discipline was legendary. He made collages nightly, whether he felt inspired or not, and didn’t even look at them until he had hundreds. That commitment to process, to showing up, is something I hold close, especially now, as I explore new materials and compositions for my Deconstruction series. His story reminds me that the work doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be made.

A Life Cut Short, A Legacy That Grows

So much was left undone, years unlived, ideas not expressed, artworks never brought to life. His passing at 56 lingers in my thoughts. It’s a gentle push to stay in motion: to imagine, to explore, to create.

Why He Inspires Me

Rex Ray’s work is full of colour and play, but it’s his attitude that really sticks with me. He made art fun, didn’t worry about perfection and treated the whole thing like a celebration. He’s a lovely reminder to stay curious, enjoy the ride and keep making from the heart.

#4357, Rex Ray

Scissors, Glue and a Little Bit of Rebellion

Rex Ray charted his own course and in doing so, he lit the way for so many of us. His work is a celebration of colour, form and freedom and for me, a reminder that joy and discipline can dance together. That art can be both playful and profound. That the best work often begins with scissors, glue and a little bit of rebellion.

Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear what you think! Have you ever had an artist light a spark for you the way Rex Ray did for me? Drop a comment below and let’s chat.

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