Carl Bray: Rediscovered, Revitalized, Legacy Underway

Friday, August 16, 9 AM and 92º F. Parked just off busy Highway 111 on a discreet dirt deceleration lane by the Carl Bray City Monument are five cars lined up bumper to bumper. City Manager Chris Freeland buzzes by and can’t help but notice the cluster of cars as he heads toward City Hall.

So what’s happening? Christopher Key, grandnephew had organized the Bray Family Weekend to celebrate artist Carl Bray (1917-2011) and the exhibit opening at Holt X Palm Gallery in the Downtown Ontario Arts District.

That weekend began in Indian Wells. The first stop for family members was Bray’s former home and gallery demolished in 2012. Three years later the City established the Bray Monument with its salute to regional history.

Mark Cieslikowski’s photos celebrated the four Bray children—Mary, Michael, Patrick, and Sylvia—along with family members who remembered their favorite childhood haunts, desert habitats, and stories.

As shown the group paid homage on hallowed ground to the prolific smoke tree painter’s lineage.

And Patrick hopped over the wall to walk around the grounds of his one time home.

Indian Wells City Hall was the next stop and an opportunity for the family to peruse a collection of Carl Bray archives. City Clerk Angelica Avila, Management Assistant Catherine Manning and Receptionist Melissa Arrequin welcomed our special guests.

Family members were quite surprised when Chris Freeland offered them a guided tour.

He also took them outside to see the plaque commemorating the hand-dug Indian Well, serene civic park and reflecting pond, and Eisenhower Walk of Honor and Veterans’ Memorial.

The family -- Patrick Bray, Linda Bray, Mike Bray, Patt Bray, Mary Bray Weinhold, Sylvia Bray, Bernardo Larque, Joyce Smay, Steve Smay, Tim Key and Christopher Key -- clearly appreciated this serendipity.

Recently Freeland reflected, “Last month I had the pleasure of welcoming the family of Carl Bray to Indian Wells City Hall, what was special about their visit was the stories of their growing up in Indian Wells and then seeing firsthand its growth over the years.  Equally exciting was sharing with them the extensive art collection at City Hall, including some of Carl Bray's artwork. Fingers crossed that the City, IWPF, and Bray Family can collaborate on a community event in the coming months to talk about Carl Bray and his legacy in Indian Wells.”

Saturday, August 17, 5 PM and 85º F. Chris Frausto, Curator, Holt X Palm Gallery, Ontario welcomed over 100 Claremont Graduate University officials, Bray family members, Ontario residents, Indian Wells and Palm Desert visitors to the opening of A Tribute to Smoke Tree Painter Carl Bray.

The month long exhibit featured a collection of original works, slides, photographs and inspirations of Carl Bray including paintings by Tim Key, his nephew and artist.

Curator Frausto was pleased. “This first retrospective of Bray’s work resulted in free-flowing discussion, reflection, reminiscing, clarification and inspiration. Hundreds of attendees were able to view and learn about his efforts. They were enthralled with the desert imagery and Native American pieces depicting the culture as it was decades ago.  Indeed, people were inspired to learn that he had created much of his work and lived literally only an hour from where our show was.”

Claremont Graduate University launched Ephemera of The Desert: The Art of Carl Bray in 2024. The class led by Dr. Tammi J. Schneider established a student-created academic catalogue that sparked needed interest to document and establish his legacy through further research and long overdue biographical and textbook publications.

That’s finally happening. Next year, California Indian Nations College, chartered by The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, is positioned to offer coursework on Carl Bray, and textbook preparation has begun. It's about time; the legacy is underway.