Raymond Ching
Encyclopedia
Raymond Ching also known as Raymond Harris-Ching, is a New Zealand
painter
. Ching is known for his contemporary bird paintings, as well as for his other work.
, New Zealand. Around the age of twelve he dropped out of high school and started an apprenticeship in advertising, eventually becoming an art director, but being wholly dissatisfied, he turned to painting. During his early school experience, a class visit to a museum where he chanced upon a collection of stuffed hummingbird
s enthralled him with their beauty and inspired a lifelong love and fascination with birds, feathers and flight.
in 1966 was of highly detailed watercolours using drybrush technique, and was an immediate sell-out. He was discovered internationally by Sir William Collins
of Collins publishing. A keen ornithologist, Sir William was scouring the world for bird painters to produce a prestigious series of book. Sir William came to New Zealand, attended Ching's second exhibition at the John Leech Galleries and discussed publishing a book of his work. On returning to the UK, Sir William took some of Ching's work to his friend, Sir Peter Scott
, who then telegraphed Ching inviting him to call on him at Slimbridge
.
Within a short time, Ching moved to London
, where he lived near Portobello Road
. Before Collins had a chance to produce the book discussed with Sir William, Ray was introduced to The Reader's Digest who, with Collins, had been planning a major book on the birds of Britain. Almost every bird artist in the British isles had been assessed and rejected as not having what was required to produce a breakthrough in field guides. The book, in addition to containing all the accurate information on the birds of Britain, should have the style and drama to appeal to those who had never picked up a field guide in their lives. The publishers had begun to despair of ever finding anyone with the graphic excitement they believed necessary, and the project had been almost abandoned when Ray appeared on the scene.
Deeply impressed with the originality and uniqueness of his work, the publishers quickly realised that here was the artist for The Reader's Digest
Book of British Birds. They asked him how long he would need to paint the 230 full-colour portraits required. The publishers believed the project entailed as much as six years' work, and had earlier thought to spread the commission among six artists, each to take a year. Although he had arrived in England with the intention of getting on with his own book, the offer struck a nerve in the young colonial wanting to make his mark. "I can do them all myself and in under a year!" he rashly declared. It was a huge effort and left him at the end of that year, ill, exhausted and penniless.
Published in 1969, The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds has become the world's most successful and biggest selling bird book, translated into over ten European languages and many, many editions in hardback and paperback. It continues to remain in print and has had an enormous influence over both bird lovers and artists, the images often being copied and illegally reproduced as the original work of other artists.
Before the book was published Ray had moved to Rye, East Sussex
. Here he continued to paint, primarily birds and other animals. He works in oils and watercolours, usually on a gesso
ed masonite panel
or canvas which assists with the high detail. The style of his art might be described as conservative realism, most images having an almost photographic quality, although he is often comfortable leaving out detail in the backgrounds. Ching work is primarily of birds, but has included other wildlife landscapes and portraits.
Raymond Ching paintings usually fetch six figures. He continues to experiment with subject matter and in recent years has included birds and the human figure in a series of imaginative works. He cannot be classified as a wildlife artist, which, although he admires many exponents of this genre, has never been his raison d'etre. His love of the look of birds and his desire to depict them, especially in flight, is his continuing passion. He is very interested and knowledgeable about conservation but that is not the primary driving force of his art.
He design a British postage stamp
in 1999 titled Darwin
's theory as part of a series on famous British scientists.
Ching is married to author Carol Sinclair who wrote the biography, Masters of the wild: Ray Harris-Ching.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. Ching is known for his contemporary bird paintings, as well as for his other work.
Background
Ching was born in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand. Around the age of twelve he dropped out of high school and started an apprenticeship in advertising, eventually becoming an art director, but being wholly dissatisfied, he turned to painting. During his early school experience, a class visit to a museum where he chanced upon a collection of stuffed hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s enthralled him with their beauty and inspired a lifelong love and fascination with birds, feathers and flight.
Painting career
In the 1960s Ching began to exhibit and sell paintings of birds. His first exhibition, Thirty Birds, at the John Leech Galleries in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in 1966 was of highly detailed watercolours using drybrush technique, and was an immediate sell-out. He was discovered internationally by Sir William Collins
William Collins (publisher)
William Collins was a Scottish schoolmaster and publisher.Collins was born near Glasgow in 1789. In 1819 he set up a publishing business, initially selling religious books. He produced the first Collins dictionary in 1824, when he also obtained a licence to publish the Bible...
of Collins publishing. A keen ornithologist, Sir William was scouring the world for bird painters to produce a prestigious series of book. Sir William came to New Zealand, attended Ching's second exhibition at the John Leech Galleries and discussed publishing a book of his work. On returning to the UK, Sir William took some of Ching's work to his friend, Sir Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
, who then telegraphed Ching inviting him to call on him at Slimbridge
Slimbridge
Slimbridge is a village near Dursley in Gloucestershire, England.It is best known as the home of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's Slimbridge Reserve which was started by Sir Peter Scott. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal runs through the village, and under Patch Bridge which must be crossed to ...
.
Within a short time, Ching moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he lived near Portobello Road
Portobello Road
Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London, England. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is home to Portobello Road Market, one of London's...
. Before Collins had a chance to produce the book discussed with Sir William, Ray was introduced to The Reader's Digest who, with Collins, had been planning a major book on the birds of Britain. Almost every bird artist in the British isles had been assessed and rejected as not having what was required to produce a breakthrough in field guides. The book, in addition to containing all the accurate information on the birds of Britain, should have the style and drama to appeal to those who had never picked up a field guide in their lives. The publishers had begun to despair of ever finding anyone with the graphic excitement they believed necessary, and the project had been almost abandoned when Ray appeared on the scene.
Deeply impressed with the originality and uniqueness of his work, the publishers quickly realised that here was the artist for The Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
Book of British Birds. They asked him how long he would need to paint the 230 full-colour portraits required. The publishers believed the project entailed as much as six years' work, and had earlier thought to spread the commission among six artists, each to take a year. Although he had arrived in England with the intention of getting on with his own book, the offer struck a nerve in the young colonial wanting to make his mark. "I can do them all myself and in under a year!" he rashly declared. It was a huge effort and left him at the end of that year, ill, exhausted and penniless.
Published in 1969, The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds has become the world's most successful and biggest selling bird book, translated into over ten European languages and many, many editions in hardback and paperback. It continues to remain in print and has had an enormous influence over both bird lovers and artists, the images often being copied and illegally reproduced as the original work of other artists.
Before the book was published Ray had moved to Rye, East Sussex
Rye, East Sussex
Rye is a small town in East Sussex, England, which stands approximately two miles from the open sea and is at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede...
. Here he continued to paint, primarily birds and other animals. He works in oils and watercolours, usually on a gesso
Gesso
Gesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
ed masonite panel
Masonite
Masonite is a type of hardboard invented by William H. Mason.-History:Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi, by William H. Mason. Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, and canoes...
or canvas which assists with the high detail. The style of his art might be described as conservative realism, most images having an almost photographic quality, although he is often comfortable leaving out detail in the backgrounds. Ching work is primarily of birds, but has included other wildlife landscapes and portraits.
Raymond Ching paintings usually fetch six figures. He continues to experiment with subject matter and in recent years has included birds and the human figure in a series of imaginative works. He cannot be classified as a wildlife artist, which, although he admires many exponents of this genre, has never been his raison d'etre. His love of the look of birds and his desire to depict them, especially in flight, is his continuing passion. He is very interested and knowledgeable about conservation but that is not the primary driving force of his art.
He design a British postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
in 1999 titled Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
's theory as part of a series on famous British scientists.
Ching is married to author Carol Sinclair who wrote the biography, Masters of the wild: Ray Harris-Ching.