Rex Ray

An exciting show arrived at the Monterey Museum of Art. Rex Ray: We Are All Made of Light is a retrospective exhibit of works by Rex Ray, or Michael Patterson (1956–2015). Born on a U.S. Army base in Germany and raised in Colorado, he became involved in the mail art movement, when he first used his artistic nickname. In the 1980s, Rex Ray moved to San Francisco where he succeeded as a drawing artist, painter and graphic designer. With time, he developed a rather characteristic palette with favorite motifs and patterns, a hallucinating personal folklore that proved highly appealing to the audience. Among his designs is the first T-shirt and posters for the San Francisco chapter of the AIDS activist group ACT UP. The above collage with mixed media over canvas is titled “Placidium,” c. 2003. Until Jan. 17.