Campus President David Ray’s USAF Paintings Featured at The Ruth Ray Memorial Gallery

The Ruth Ray Memorial Gallery at The Illinois Institute of Art – Schaumburg presents an exhibition by its President David Ray, showcasing his more than 20-year career as an artist for the United States Air Force (USAF) Art Program. Primarily created in the acrylic and oil paint mediums, the show is on display through October 23 at the gallery at 1000 N. Plaza Dr., Schaumburg and is open to the public at no charge Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., Fridays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, September 16 from 2 – 3 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. 

Ray has been an active artist in the United States Air Force Art Program since his selection for the program in 1986. The Air Force Art Program, under the Secretary of the Air Force, was created in the 1950s as an official program with the purpose of recording the Air Force story through the medium of art. Artists who are selected for the Program volunteer their time to document Air Force actions and history worldwide. Ray is a past Board member and the past President of the Midwest Region of the USAF Art Program. During his term as President, he was asked to provide the official presentation of artwork on behalf of all USAF Artists to The Secretary of the Air Force during the bi-annual Presentation Ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base.

The painter’s art covers a broad range of aviation history and his work has been displayed in numerous shows around the United States and in Europe. One of Ray’s most memorable shows was when, while participating in Air Force services commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift at Rhein-Main AB in Frankfurt, Germany, his painting “Berlin Airlift” was shown in a unique gallery space created inside the fuselage of a C-5 Galaxy. Ray’s subsequent article “The Berlin Airlift – A Trip to Germany” was published in the Air Mobility Command News. His paintings hang in the Pentagon and in Air Force installations around the world. His painting “The Last Bomber of the Strategic Air Command” was chosen for inclusion in the US Air Force Museum Calendar.

Ray has served with The Illinois Institute of Art for over 20 years. An annual participant in the faculty and staff gallery show, this marks his first one-man show at The Ruth Ray Memorial Gallery.

For more information about the exhibit or the College, please contact The Illinois Institute of Art – Schaumburg at 800.314.3450.