Description
Framed oil on panel Tuba City Girl by Ray Swanson.
About Ray Swanson
Ray Swanson (1937-2004) was raised on a dairy farm in South Dakota. His chores growing up undoubtedly shaped his work ethic, which largely accounts for his success as an artist. His earliest influence was his maternal grandfather, whose artistic ability and spirituality he inherited. His strong spiritual foundation provided a solid grounding for his life and his art career. Swanson grew up watching his grandfather illustrate Bible stories. At the age of 12, Swanson saved up enough money to by himself his first set of oil paints.
At 19, his father was killed in a tractor accident, the farm was sold and he moved to California. There he graduated college and married his wife, Beverly. Swanson started out as an engineer, painting on the weekends, but soon realized that painting was his true passion. His wife opened a gallery in Oak Glen, CA, in 1962, his paintings started selling and his self-taught career was established. He exhibited at two other main galleries, Husberg Gallery in Sedona, AZ, and Gallery Americana in Carmel, CA.
Swanson is most famous for his portraits of Navajo elders and Navajo children in their colorful native attire. He made regular trips to the Navajo reservation three hours outside Prescott, AZ. In 1973, he moved to Arizona with his family. He also painted the Hopi, Pima, Apache and Nez Perce of Idaho and Sioux Indians. Eventually he turned his artistic eye to the regions of Alaska, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. His desire was to paint the people of the world.
Dimensions
(Image) 11.5″H x 9.5″W, (Frame) 16.5″H x 14.25″W