Fine Artist

Ray-mel Cornelius

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Professional organization web site
Artist blog

As a child in the small east Texas town of Royse City, Cornelius began to draw as soon as he could hold a pencil. Before long, and with the help and e...ncouragement of his mother, he began to create illustrated books from folded paper bags. Another favorite activity was drawing on a blackboard his mother hung in the kitchen just for him.

A graduate of East Texas State University where he majored in graphic design, Cornelius enjoyed the strong university art program. Like many 1970s art students he was a fan of the surrealist painters Salvador Dali and Max Ernst, as well as pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. A big influence on his work then was the original Spider-Man artist, Steve Ditko, and comics icon Jack Kirby. Today he adds David Hockney, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood, and Maynard Dixon to his list of favorite and influential painters.

Throughout his career as a graphic artist, Cornelius continued to exhibit his personal non-commissioned paintings. Since 2001 his work has been shown in eleven one-man shows and fifty-five group exhibitions throughout the West.

After his first extended visit to New Mexico in the mid-1990s, his subject matter expanded to include mountains and the related subjects he loves. Birds, bears, jackrabbits, coyotes, mountain wildflowers, and the architecture of rural New Mexico rendered in his unique and colorful style never fail to delight the viewer.

The artist divides his time between Taos and Dallas, where he teaches in the art department of Dallas College.

These are samples of Ray-Mel's paintings, limited edition prints, and graphic works. More of his work can be found on his website.

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  • Images
  • Galleries
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Bee in Flight
    48 by 72 inches acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Bee in Flight
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Moonflower with Haiku
    48 by 36 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Moonflower with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Dragonfly with Haiku
    18 by 36 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Dragonfly with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Snail with Haiku
    16 by 20 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Snail with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Hummingbird with Haiku
    24 by 30 inches acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Hummingbird with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Wildflower in the Breeze
    18 by 24 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Wildflower in the Breeze
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Large Animal on a Small Canvas 1
    8 by 10 inches acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Large Animal on a Small Canvas 1
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Large Animal on a Small Canvas 2
    8 by 10 inches acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Large Animal on a Small Canvas 2
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Small Coastal Landscape
    8 by 10 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Small Coastal Landscape
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Small Seaside Landscape
    8 by 10 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Small Seaside Landscape
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    State Bird: CA
    5 by 7 inches acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - State Bird: CA
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Wanderers Creek
    16 by 16 inches acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Wanderers Creek
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Mountain Bluejay
    20 by 16 acrylic on canvas Copper Moon Gallery Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Mountain Bluejay
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Mockingbird with Haiku
    30 by 40 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Mockingbird with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Howling Moon
    20 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Howling Moon
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Cactus Jackrabbit
    20 by 16 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Cactus Jackrabbit
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Cardinal with Haiku
    24 by 30 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Cardinal with Haiku
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Windmills
    30 by 40 inches, acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Windmills
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Diner Sign
    18 by 24 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Diner Sign
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Cactus Bloom
    24 by 24 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Cactus Bloom
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Mountain Man
    24 by 18 inches, acrylic on canvas Collection of Mercedes Benz
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Mountain Man
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Reinhardt Elementary Mural
    A special project, this mural was created digitally, printed on Dibond aluminum and attached to the walls at the Reinhardt Elementary School in Dallas, TX. Overall size: Left - 12 by 32 ft. Right - 12 by 24 ft.
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Reinhardt Elementary Mural
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Collinwood
    20 by 16 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Collinwood
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine I
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine I
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine III
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art, Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine III
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine IV
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art, Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine IV
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine II
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine II
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmospheric Flying Machine V
    8 by 10 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmospheric Flying Machine V
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Wild Iris
    24 by 18 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art, Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Wild Iris
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Shapes in the Clouds
    9 by 12 inches, acrylic on canvas Ro2 Art, Dallas, TX
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Shapes in the Clouds
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Jackrabbit, Rocks and Hollyhocks
    18 by 14 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Jackrabbit, Rocks and Hollyhocks
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Dog Walker
    14 by 11 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Dog Walker
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Pool and Fireflies
    14 by 11 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Pool and Fireflies
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Atmosphere with Painted Sails
    14 by 11 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Atmosphere with Painted Sails
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Black Bear with Apricot Tree
    18 by 14 inches, acrylic on canvas Private collection
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Black Bear with Apricot Tree
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Snow Bear
    18 by 14 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Snow Bear
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Jackrabbit with Tumbleweeds
    16 by 20 inches, acrylic on canvas David Anthony Fine Art Taos, NM
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Jackrabbit with Tumbleweeds
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Half Moon Bison
    24 by 24 inches, acrylic on canvas
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Half Moon Bison
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Flying Machine Over A Floral Landscape
    12 by 9 inches, acrylic on canvas
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Flying Machine Over A Floral Landscape
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Jackrabbit Rex
    30 by 24 inches, acrylic on canvas
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Jackrabbit Rex
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Flying Machine Over Abiquiu
    12 by 9 inches, acrylic on canvas
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Flying Machine Over Abiquiu
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Mockingbird with Scattered Clouds
    9 by 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Mockingbird with Scattered Clouds
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Veedon Sheep
    14 by 11 inches, acrylic on canvas Jane Hamilton Fine Art Tucson, AZ
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Veedon Sheep
  • Ray-mel Cornelius
    Saguaro Jackrabbit
    16 by 16 inches, acrylic on canvas Jane Hamilton Fine Art Tucson, AZ
    Ray-mel Cornelius - Saguaro Jackrabbit
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