Today's outsider artist is Ray Materson. Ray was serving a 15 year sentence for a robbery related to his drug offences. One day, out of a clear blue sky, he was inspired to embroider his teams colours on a scrap of material ripped from his prison bed-sheets. He bought a pair of nylon socks from a cellmate for a packet of cigarettes as they were made up of his team colours.
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| The House On York Road. 1995 |
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| The boot story 1995 |
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| the Taming of the shrew 1995 |
He unpicked the threads and changed his life. The success of his first piece led inmates to commision their own embroideries of their sports emblems. Ray began to receive cast off socks in every imaginable colour. Ray's subject matter evolved to include portraits, landscapes and narrative images.
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| Conscientious Objectors 1995 |
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| The Arrest 1993 |
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| The Cup of his blood (Hate me) 1992 |
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| Gossio 2009 |
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| Ogre's All Stars 1994 |
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| Vermont River - Montpelier 2009 |
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| Gino- Life Times six 1999 |
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| An afternoon At Ogre House 2002 |
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| Anywhere Next Exit 1992 |
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| Twin Towers 2005 |
Ray's pieces are tiny jewel coloured little treasures about half the size of a post card. Each piece takes 40-60 hours of work and up to 1200 stiches per square inch. I love the honesty and passion that shines from Ray's work. Ray now travels all over the United States lecturing on his works and encouraging art programs in the prison service.
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