Carpinteria based artist Ray Gabaldón can often be found walking or riding his ebike along the beach between Carpinteria and Montecito and he never leaves the beach empty-handed.  Using driftwood, reclaimed copper wire and silver, Ray creates individual figures, each with distinct personalities and characteristics.  Like many in the community around Montecito, Ray was very much affected by the death and destruction caused by the debris flows of 2018. Soon after, he began working with the found, often charred, wood pieces to create the figures he calls “The Missing”, to remember the 24 people who lost their lives in the mudslides.

We hope you enjoy this brief film by local filmmaker John Campbell which captures a little bit of Ray’s process and the context of his work. 

The soulful nature of Ray’s figures and his use of native flora make them feel like a record of local history.  After many years spent creating custom hot rods, Ray has a strong feel for assemblage. He continues to explore new ideas and projects  including masks, and a 10 foot totem and more recently some beautiful spoons.