Oils

Lesser known to the wider realm of art and antics are the oil paintings Ray created in his younger years. Not only did he have a colourful career as a cartoonist but in the early to mid-seventies he prolifically painted, using oils. Many were practice pieces, as he attempted to perfect the art form. Around twenty of said pieces he was happy to paint his signature on - Indicating they were finished to the standard he had set himself. An artist's work is never done. 
These paintings remained somewhat of a secret until 2008 and at this time a number of the paintings were exhibited and sold in a matter of hours and attracted interest and recognition from art critics and art collectors as far afield as America. 

Of his oil paintings and a quote my father stated for the aforementioned exhibition that took place shortly before he passed away;
“ The representational oil paintings are straightforward records of specific places and people and the titles make themselves explanatory. A period in the mid nineteen seventies, which I shall not be revisiting. “  Ray Lowry

A fellow artist and fan of my dad’s work Liam spencer had this to say;
“ They’re painted with energetic brush marks and vibrant colours. They share some of the subject matter of Ray’s namesake L.S Lowry, but seem to be more influenced by Van Gogh, or Sisley, or perhaps Valette “