William Fitch Wray Miniature Oil Painting California Desert Mountain Landscape

Description

Miniature oil painting by listed artist William Fitch Wray (English, 1989-1967). Wray was a prolific California artist, who also worked … more Miniature oil painting by listed artist William Fitch Wray (English, 1989-1967). Wray was a prolific California artist, who also worked as an artist on movie sets. He is best known for these California landscapes of the desert and mountains. Featuring a California desert mountain scene with various desert flora including ocotillo ‘en plein air’ oil on canvas board. Signed at the lower left corner Fitch Wray. In a gold and blue wood frame. Partial label remains on verso that reads: Original Oil Painting on Canvas by Fitch Wray of Yucaipa, California. Frame measures 6 5/8" square x 1" deep. Canvas board measures 5" square. In overall good vintage condition. Painting is beautiful. The frame has some scuffs to the wood surface and a water stain on the back of the board as shown.

Biography
William Fitch Wray (California, British, Canadian, b. 1891 - d. 1967). A native of England, Fitch-Wray received his education in the North London Academy Art college. It was during these years that he studied many subjects, not all of them pertaining to art but which would be valuable to his later painting. His other art training included schools in Paris, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. His painting took him to 14 countries of the world where he painted all of nature, her clouds and mountains, valleys, forests and rivers. Fitch-Wray came to the United States in 1922 and spent considerable time in Canada, absorbing and painting the land of the Canadian Rockies. For seven years, he traveled and painted, such places as Banff, Alberta, and Vancouver, B.C. and until this time selling his paintings to commercial firms and private individuals. During the war, he operated and art school in Santa Monica and painted airplane parts in detail for Douglas Aircraft's illustrated catalogue. He did this in addition to his regular paintings that always found a ready market. It was in Yucaipa that he first became interested in miniature paintings. Living near the desert, he found a kaleidoscope of colors and feelings in the desert. And he soon found that these moods, painted in miniature, were in great demand. What buyers wanted were groups of four to six to embellish a living room or hall - paintings detailed in execution, delicate in color and balanced in composition. Fitch-Wray devoted more and more time to these miniatures and soon had a thriving business. Today, for example, Bullock's Department Store in Los Angeles alone buys 100 paintings a month for their enthusiastic customers. As is inevitable with top quality artists, Fitch-Wray was soon approached by a group of Costa Mesa women who wanted art lessons. He obliged, but strictly limits his class to seven members. He feels that more can be taught and learned in an intimate group than in the more impersonal atmosphere of larger classes. less