A Portrait of the Artist as a 92 Year Old Man: Ray Ford at the bG Gallery, Bergamot

On December 14th, 2019, bG Gallery celebrates the holidays at Bergamot Station from noon to 5pm. The event is part of an annual Winter Open House at the Arts Complex.

Sculptor Ray Ford will be a featured artist. He has previously exhibited at the gallery when it was on Ocean Park. "I'm excited to see the new space at Bergamot Station," said Ford.

An established wood sculptor, Ford has consistently created original hand-crafted art. At 92 years old, he still produces one original sculpture a week...no two pieces are the same. Ford's art has found a home in many parts of the globe. In addition to selling online his sculptures have been exhibited and sold in galleries across Los Angeles, where he currently resides.

As a young artist, he was able to make a good living with his art and put his son through college. After his wife died in late 2016, Ford kept himself busy, learning new techniques and fabricating elaborate designs on his art pieces. Ford uses a variety of techniques that include carving, burning, bleaching, painting or burning. Always looking for a new challenge, he said he loves to come up with new ideas, and solutions for any obstacles that arise.

Ford is always working on something new. He also loves a challenge, which is probably what keeps him so young at heart. He is often inspired by nature...one can see this many of his works. When asked what types of techniques he is currently using, he replied, "I start with turning the wood on a lathe and then carve it using a band-saw and/or grinders such as a dremel or a fordham. I also use burning techniques with burning tools but I might use anything that strikes my fancy. I even use paint."

The photography of Ryan Schude is currently on view at the gallery. One work entitled "Inverness" featured a cypress tree tunnel in Inverness, California near Point Reyes. Schude explained, "That particular group of people are all alumni of a creative retreat called Phoot Camp that began meeting in 2009. For our 10-year reunion, a group of 8 artists out of around 60 total attendees over the years met up to talk about where we were then and where we intend to go from here. The title of the show vaguely reflects the spirit of that run through the tree tunnel as we continue to support each other in any way we can." Gallerist Om Bleicher added that Ryan's new series adds both a tempered wit and mysticism to his works. "The elaborately staged narratives take place in the backdrop of epic environments and the figures have become even smaller within the larger setting."

Stop by bG Gallery to see the art of Ray Ford. The event is part of the Bergamot Station Winter Open House and 25th Anniversary Celebration, and runs from 12-5pm. Bergamot Station is located at 2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, 90404. bG Gallery (A-2) is located in the A building of the arts center. Visit the website at http://www.santamonica.bgartdealings.com/ Find out more about Ray Ford on his website at http://hrayford.com/