JIM BRAY, of Joplin, Missouri has established an international reputation with his works in watercolor and collage.
Having traveled extensively, Jim has also taught and exhibited in Japan and Scandinavia, where he has developed a following based at the Folkhogskola, or people’s college, in Mullsjo, Sweden. He also teaches workshops at the Folk University in Jonkoping, Sweden.
One of his collage pieces, began in Japan, completed in the United States, and sold during a tour of galleries in Belgium and Germany exemplifies his international experience. His work is also influenced by regular visits to the American Southwest, impressions from childhood in his native Oklahoma, and his interest in the “vanishing landscape” of rural America.
As a watercolor artist, Jim has signature status with the Kansas Watercolor society and with the Oklahoma Watercolor Society, and has won numerous First Place and Best of Show awards in national competitions. His most recent Best of Show award was at the Spiva membership show in Joplin, Missouri.
Jim’s graphic design work has repeatedly won top honors at national CASE conferences throughout the United States. Twice during his career at Phillips University his design group won sweepstakes awards in National competitions.
Currently retired, living in Joplin, Missouri, Jim was head of the Art department at Missouri Southern State University for 12 years, and taught courses in watercolor painting, life drawing, and typographic design. He also taught Art in Scandinavia classes as part of the Summer in Sweden program, an off-campus travel-study experience he helped initiate at Missouri Southern in 1992.
Professor Bray was formerly Art Department chair at Phillips University, Enid Oklahoma, where he taught graphic design, serigraphy, watercolor painting and life drawing. At Phillips University Jim served as Director of University Publications for many years and conducted several student and alumni tours throughout Scandinavia, Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Also, he taught semesters in Sweden in 1977 and 1990 and, in 1989, traveled to Phillips University-Japan, Ugi-Kyoto, to teach graphic design and painting to Japanese art majors.
Prior to teaching at Phillips University Jim was employed by Hallmark Cards, Kansas City, Missouri, as a designer/illustrator, art recruiter and Art Director for the Contemporary Design Studio.
A frequent judge of fine art competitions, Jim has also conducted numerous workshops in watercolor and collage techniques. A number of his works are featured in Gerald Brommer’s book, “Collage Techniques,” (WatsonGuptill, 1994).
Jim Bray’s paintings and collages are currently shown in Joplin, Missouri, Nashville, Tennessee and Design 701, in Jonkoping, Sweden. His work is also included in many private collections in the United States, Scandinavia, Europe and Japan.