Individuals shaped and molded by life's joys as well as trials-individuals characterized by their permanence, by their ability to endure-it is these individuals who inhabit the artistic world of Dale Rayburn's paintings and etchings. Although the artistic world inhabited by these individuals is often portrayed as regional-as what many consider as "typically southern", Rayburn's work transcends regional boundaries and stereotypes in both it's portrayal of universal human experiences and emotions. Furthermore, Rayburn's emphasis on line quality, on the interplay of positive spaces, of the characters he portrays-reflects the influence of such artists as Rembrandt, Thomas Eakins, and Edward Hopper. Born in Carriere, Mississippi, in 1942, Dale Rayburn considers himself fortunate that he is able to make a living doing what he loves most, yet he does not believe that he should compromise his own artistic integrity by simply catering the artistic whims of the movement. It is the work itself-being true to whatever idea which he wishes to portray-that is most important to him. As he noted, "If my work is honest it will have merit."
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