C.T. Bray
About
Christopher Thomas (C.T.) Bray was born in Memphis, TN in 1969. Though not a formally taught artist his skills and passion were first rooted in his father’s artist studio where he learned woodcarving, stained glass design, molding leather, and assisting with his father’s set design business.
While dabbling with various art forms in highschool C.T. became interested in advertising and marketing and graduated with a marketing degree from the University of Minnesota in 1992. He trained under Joe Kotnik of CW Marketing & Design in Minneapolis. While as an apprentice, C.T. became more serious with acting and eventually quit CW and moved to California with his brother, William Kirkland in 1995. After years of auditions, student movies, and small rolls on Daytime TV he set this sites again on more creative, hands-on pursuits and co-founded the leather accessories and bag business, Billykirk with his brother, William in 1999.
Now, with Billykirk in their 25th year, C.T. is once again in his art studio creating assemblage and found object pieces influenced by Jack Whitten, JB Blunk, Louise Nevelson, Thomas O’Flynn, Barbara Hepworth, Ivan Kliun, and Kurt Schwitters.
C.T. has shown work at the New Hope Arts Center, Prallsville Mill, and various galleries in California, New York and New Jersey.
Artist Statement
Most of the objects I work with began with a purely utilitarian purpose, but have become exhausted, discarded or obsolete—from a used brass shot put to a worn sharpening stone.
I enjoy breathing new light into these often-humble objects, combining them with other materials and reimagining their purpose. When complete, they have a renewed form. They are ready for their second act.
From different beginnings, one story emerges. I work in Hunterdon County, NJ.