Gordon Rayner (1935–2010) was a fearless innovator in Canadian art, best known for his primal, physically immediate approach to painting, lavish use of colour, and daring fusion of abstraction with realism. Born in Toronto, he began painting under the guidance of his father and Jack Bush, eventually working in commercial art for 17 years before turning fully to painting, influenced by the bold energy of Painters Eleven. Rayner’s early works from the 1960s—some of the most desirable to collectors—emerged from Toronto’s neo-Dada scene, incorporating found objects into complex, expressive compositions.

A key member of the Isaacs Gallery artists, Rayner exhibited alongside icons such as Michael Snow, Joyce Wieland, and William Ronald. His restless creativity led him to develop series-based works, ranging from abstract constructions to dramatic landscapes inspired by Magnetawan, Ontario—a remote place that became central to his process. In the 1990s, his practice expanded further during extended stays in Oaxaca, Mexico, resulting in the fantastical "Oaxaca Suite."

Rayner’s works are held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Canada, Montreal Museum of Fine Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He was widely admired for his refusal to settle into a single style, continually exploring new forms and materials until his death in 2010.

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