I don’t have any fixed process or technique. I’m always working in many different ways. It enables me to combine different techniques. I’ll leave myself open to discovering more. This means that with the paintings I have in my studio sometimes something happens and then I realise that it can work on another painting that I have on the go. And so, in a way, a lot of my inspiration comes from my previous work.
Painters have always borrowed from the past but should produce art for the era in which they live. For me, inspiration comes from so many different places and experiences. Over the years I’ve been inspired by the Abstract Expressionist movement, and I love expressive painting. Also, and highly importantly, personal experience counts for a lot – by working in an unguarded expressive way I find that the unexpected can emerge.
Colour and composition are actually rarely specifically deliberate choices. They evolve with the painting. I often work rapidly. Pausing to think for too long is often counter-productive, but I always need to walk away from a painting in order to let the idea gestate, and I then come back to it when it is (or I am) ready to reappraise, and if necessary leave it as it is or continue with it. I always say that a painting is never truly, safely finished until the point when it leaves my studio!
lan Rayer-Smith’s work is held in significant private and corporate collections across the UK, Europe, USA, Asia, and Australia. His collectors include internationally recognised figures from the worlds of business, entertainment, and culture, high net worth individuals, and those whose discerning eye for art reflects both wealth and influence. Many have become long-standing supporters, offering not only acquisitions but also personal encouragement and opportunities that have been instrumental in the development of his career. lan has always valued discretion, and out of respect for his clients and collectors, their names are never revealed unless they specifically wish to be acknowledged. His work has also been supported by SJB Barrister’s Chambers in the UK, who have been significant collector since the start of his career, displaying works in their offices, public spaces, and members’ private residences. The global reach and calibre of these collections underline the growing reputation and value of his practice in today’s art world.
Ian Rayer Smith voted one of the Manchester’s top 10 artists by Manchester confidential and winner of the 2014 Warrington Contemporary Prize.
Ian Rayer Smith had been hailed as one of the north’s artists to watch.