alumni news & events continued
“It’s got to be a refined, honed communication,” said Gray. “It’s a craft.” Gray gathers inspiration from numerous sources, including cloud patterns, music, or witnessing acts of kindness. He is inspired by things in life that are beautiful and good. “Everything I do see that’s excellent, orderly and pure, it’s from God,” said Gray. He believes his faith plays a part in why he does what he does.
Gray gathers inspiration from numerous sources, including cloud patterns, music, or witnessing acts of kindness. He is inspired by things in life that are beautiful and good. “The fact that I’m a believer gives me a spiritual awareness,” said Gray, making him “more vulnerable to beautiful things. Excellent things. So, those things turn me on.” Gray has several figure paintings of his family, including his wife, Jessica, his sixyear-old son, Forest, and daughter, Lauren, 9. Teaching is also something Gray does as the opportunity arises. He has received really positive feedback from students and it has allowed him to sharpen his understanding of his craft. As part of that, Gray recently started a figure drawing class which he attends with other artists every Thursday night. Together, Gray and Frances Buckmaster, an artist from Puyallup, hire a live model to come in for them and about 20 other artists to paint for mostly fun, but also to practice their skills. Gray’s dedication to living the life of a professional artist with a commitment to lifelong learning to improve one’s craft inspires the other artists, said Buckmaster. “He's not only talented and experienced,” said Buckmaster, “but he's my idea of a person living the life of a serious, professional artist.” —Katie A. Scaff ’13 30 PLU SCENE SPRING 2011 > ALUMNI PROFILES
Artist David Gray '92 in his Tacoma studio