Hi, I’m Ivan Gray
Welcome to my world of art – a world where creativity meets the open road and the raw beauty of nature intertwines with heavy machinery.
I’m Ivan Gray, a traveling mixed-media artist with a passion for capturing life in all its vibrant, rugged, and delicate forms.
As someone who splits time between the art studio and the job site, my work is a unique blend of the natural world and the industrial landscape. My canvases often feature florals and wildlife, cityscapes bustling with energy, and the towering presence of heavy equipment that shapes our world. Each piece tells a story of movement, resilience, and the beauty found in unexpected places.
My journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with my love of travel. My mobile studio, set up in my RV, allows me to explore the ever-changing landscapes of the American Southwest and beyond, from the serene sunsets over the Chihuahua Desert to the bustling energy of cities like Phoenix, Denver, OKC and Sarasota.
I find inspiration in every stop, capturing moments that reflect both the quiet and chaotic parts of life. My journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with my love of travel. I find inspiration in every stop, capturing moments that reflect both the quiet and chaotic parts of life. What sets my work apart is the fusion of mediums and subjects that you might not expect to see together.
One day I might be layering oils and acrylics to capture the delicate bloom of a sunflower, and the next day I could be drawing the precise lines of a Caterpillar dozer hard at work. The intersection of these worlds is where I find my voice as an artist, and it’s my hope that my art reflects the strength, beauty, and spirit of both.
When I’m not painting, you might find me supervising heavy-civil projects, a world that has taught me the importance of precision, hard work, and teamwork. These values carry over into my art practice, where I strive to create pieces that resonate with authenticity and purpose.
My work has been showcased in galleries and events across the region, including the recent Artini “Havana Nights” show, where I continue to share my passion with new audiences. I invite you to join me on this journey – whether you’re here to explore, to purchase a piece, or simply to be inspired by the stories behind the art.
Thank you for being part of this adventure – the road ahead is full of color, texture, and endless possibilities.
My Approach
Practical roots
Wild Vision
Intentional Process
Lasting Connection
What started as a pursuit of passion—with a paintbrush in one hand and a dozer throttle in the other—has evolved into something deeper. My process is rooted in movement, intention, and transformation. Whether I’m tracing the lines of a city skyline or the tread marks of a Caterpillar across desert clay, I create from a place of lived experience and visual storytelling. What sets my work apart isn’t just the final image—it’s the process behind it: grounded, intuitive, and fueled by the terrain around me.
I draw from the precision and physicality of earthwork—where every pass of a dozer, every foot of grade, matters. That same discipline shows up in the way I layer mediums, build texture, and compose a canvas. Each piece reflects structure, planning, and impact.
There’s beauty in grit. My work captures the contrast between raw machinery and delicate details—a sunflower blooming by the tracks, sunset over a landfill, neon inks glowing against industrial silhouettes. I see the poetry in both.
Each artwork begins with a sketch or spark from the road—a moment that caught my breath. From there, I let the story lead. Some pieces are mapped, others improvise. I combine acrylics, inks, oil pastels, and even digital tracing tools to bring the piece to life, layer by layer.
My goal is to make work that stays with you—whether it reminds you of the open road, your own inner grit, or just makes you pause. Every piece is created to resonate with honesty and purpose, inviting you into the places I’ve been and the stories I’ve lived.