Ray Schutte was born in 1939. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Colorado in 1963. Watercolor was the medium of his choice at that time. during this time. Following graduation he moved his family to California and taught art in grades K through 12 over the next 15 years.

During this time, He explored photography as documentation, combining silver and non-silver process, imposing geometric structures on landscapes and juxtaposing words on images. Trained in abstract expressionism, He came to appreciate pop, minimal and conceptual art that followed. His photographs explored elements of all four movements.

In 1979 Ray moved to Washington State. He changed carriers and entered the business world where he managed administrative services organizations and information technology operations groups with various companies. He choose to stop wrestling with conflicts of self focus that were required to work as an artist and provide for his family. He maintained his interest by visiting art museums and attending exhibitions through out the years.

After retiring in 2005, he started exploring digital photography and inkjet printing. He was intrigued that inkjet printers were being used to print three dimensional plastic objects such as kidneys from MIR scans. Building an image rather than just printing an image fascinated him. The writings of Clement Greensburg on color, Lawrence Alloway’s discussion of Systemic Painting and the hidden geometry in work of Barnett Newman provided him context. He reflected upon the how to extend the discussions about color being optical by creating a purely visual and non-tactile space. Ray started exploring the building of images through print using photographic images, minimalist aesthetics, and color in order to shift meaning as the viewer perceives the work.

Biography