Raymond Arthur Roadnight
Born: 1941 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.
Educated: High Wycombe Technical School, then spent a year at High Wycombe Art
College.
Ray spent 3 years in the employment of Patrick Reyntiens and John Piper making stained glass windows.
These works included the great baptistery window in the New Coventry Cathedral. The enormous 'Lantern' on top of the Catholic Cathedral in Liverpool and the grand wimdows in Oundle School Chapel.
These works may be regarded as some of the best in England.
Ray has exhibited his works in the Royal Academy and the 'Young Contemporaries' in London; The Alfred
East Gallery, Kettering; Chichele College in Higham Ferriers; and Burleighfield House in Loudwater.
Acknowledgements: The late Geoff Baker for pointing me in the right direction. The late Martin Simons
for encouraging me to paint again after a 10 year lapse and John Black for his continuing support.
"The paintings of Ray Roadnight are illusions of extraordinary integrity displaying versatility and accomplishment as both painter and
draughtsman. His handling of oil paint is truly masterly achieving a magical spontaneous combination of colour, form and pattern. He posseses a remarkable natural artistic flair and ability
which is quite untainted by tutelage and academicism. Beauty, Expressionism and influences from the past, in particular, Peirre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard and Chaim Soutine are all evident here, but
there is also an underlying thread of a deeper, more personal statement and total commitment to painting; A sincere desire to express and share with us the feeling and passion which drives every true
artist.
He has an extensive body of work spanning many years. A visual feast, all displaying without exception
a very high standard and consistently fine quality. His paintings are wonderful to live with and are richly rewarding in their content. The works of Ray Roadnight will speak for themselves; they are
eloquent advocates as you will find, but not pushy or annoylingly inconsistent. They know how to engage your gaze wordlessly and when to be silent.
He is a poet in the visual form communicating those special feelings which we struggle to find words
for. He produces the most exquisite and confident images from direct observation of the model in the studio and also from personal experience and imagination."
John Frederick Black M.A., NDD., D.L.C.A. (Hons), A.T.C. (Dist), A.T.D.,
Dip.F.P.A.A.
(Former) Head of Art Education, DeMontford University, Bedford, England.