Featured Artist: Gammaray

DBH artist Gammaray uses unconventional imagination to seamlessly make the typical into the atypical. His eclectic designs are like a lens into the familiar with a touch of the surreal blurring the edges. Whether you enjoy a hand-knitted sweater made of ramen noodles, or you want to take a stroll through a digital storm, Gammaray’s artwork leaves you with an eagerness to see the world with a fresh perspective.

Gammaray, or Grant Shepley, is from Cape Town, South Africa. He has been drawing since he was in primary school, but it wasn’t until he was older that he began to feel “truly conceptually creative.” He believes “everyone is creative in their own way” and that sometimes it is just a matter of unlocking that creativity. As he became more comfortable with design, he moved beyond simply mimicking the world around him; instead, he began to add his own unique style to the art. He shares, “my style is to try different styles.”

Grant confesses that inspiration can strike everywhere, anywhere, and at any time of day. In fact, he jokes that most of his ideas come to him right as he is falling asleep; his iPhone has become a lifesaver by helping him to record his ideas. He says that his designs may not always “come out the way I initially visualized them.” However, he steps away from certain projects and returns to them later – even an entire year sometimes – before completing them. He encourages other artists to practice “perseverance” and to “enjoy the journey of creating and not just rushing to finish a design.”