Biography
Alex Bay was born in Seville, Spain in 1937. After living in Mexico City and Milan during World War II, his family returned to Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Bay is inspired by discarded things which retain the traces of human use, such as anonymous penciled scribbling on an envelope addressed to an unknown individual. He is also fascinated by the factories lining the railroad tracks between Baltimore and New York, feeling that the graffiti and shattered windows take him to another time. The materials he uses creates and harsh yet delicate pieces that capture light and movement beautifully. His work acquires a certain mystery and fascination that captures the extraordinary beauty of ordinary life.
"I happen to believe that the need to create and the response to creative acts are innate. Acculturation blunts these impulses in some and sharpens them in others. Children naturally begin to express themselves with drawing and painting at the ealiest ages. When I think back to my childish drawings and those of my sister, I remember each had a unique, distinct reality. They were not things themselves, but a separate thing magically conveying both a distinct reality and the idea of things depicted. This is a mysterious dance that happens. The artist leads with his act of creation and then the viewer follows with his own act of creative imagination. The perceptions in the artist's and viewer's minds are not the same, and may not be even remotely alike. This is because the experiential histories are unique. Nevertheless, the psychic response of the viewer is entirely valid."
Read more in the May 2017 issue of the Piedmont Virginian issue here.
Exhibitions
2011 “Revels Ended” Sawhill Gallery Harrisonburg, VA
2006 Art6 Gallery, Richmond, VA
2005 Parish Gallery, Washington, DC
2004 Museum of Contemporary Art, Washington, DC
2002 Caelum Gallery, NY, NY
2001 International Visions - the Gallery, Washington, DC
1999 Caelum Gallery, NY, NY
1996 Ruthless Grip Art Project, Washington, DC
1995 "Canaletto's House", Parish Gallery, Washington, DC
1990 Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC
1989 "Dreams, Memories and Reflections"
Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC
1987 "A Darkling Wood"
Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC
1986 "Art in Public Spaces" Fairfax County Arts Council
1985 Emerson Gallery (Maclean Projects for the Arts) Maclean, Virginia
Residencies
2011-2012 James Madison University, Encore Artist
Education
Studies, Corcoran College of Art & Design