Indelible Artist

Gary Ray Smith

Painter, designer, and creator of Claude Decrepney — the sailor-muse who sits at the centre of Gary Ray Smith’s cult-followed paintings. The work lands somewhere between seaside nostalgia, cheeky British humour and genuine emotional honesty.

Painting & prints Claude Decrepney Oi Oi Sailor Character-led work
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Gary Ray Smith in studio

Biography

Artist background

Gary studied Fashion & Textiles in Southend and Painting at Chelsea College of Art. After decades in industry, he moved into full-time art and design, building a devoted audience around paintings centred on Claude Decrepney.

What makes the work hit is that it never feels cynical. It is funny, yes, but also tender. Claude is pin-up, alter ego, confidant and story device all at once.

The paintings feel like fragments from a parallel Britain: intimate, eccentric and strangely moving.

At a glance
Known for Claude Decrepney
Series Oi Oi Sailor
Background Fashion, textiles, painting
Appeal Humour with emotional pull
Collecting Originals & editions
Look British, nostalgic, cult

Key work

Claude & Oi Oi Sailor

Oi Oi Sailor started as a playful idea and became one of Gary’s most recognisable worlds. Claude Decrepney sits at the centre of it — sometimes confident, sometimes vulnerable, always magnetic.

The best works feel half joke, half love letter. That mix is why they stick.

Claude Decrepney Seaside nostalgia Cheeky humour Tender portraiture Cult following
Gary Ray Smith fine art print

Highlights

Why collectors respond to Gary
  • Instantly recognisable character-led work with real personality.
  • Humour that still carries emotional weight.
  • Originals and editions that look brilliant in more characterful interiors.
  • A very collectable entry point into a fully formed artist world.

References

Further context

A few useful references if you want broader context around Gary Ray Smith, Claude, and the wider Oi Oi Sailor world.

Sailors Jail The core artist bio and one of the clearest entry points into Gary’s wider world. Indelible Series overview and gallery context around Gary Ray Smith at Indelible Fine Art. Potter & Beans A readable feature on Claude’s origin story and why he keeps reappearing in the work. Available works Direct access to the Gary Ray Smith works currently listed with the gallery.

At Indelible

Viewing & enquiries

At Indelible, the focus is on placing the right Gary Ray Smith in the right room. Some pieces land because of scale, others because Claude’s character takes over the space the minute he arrives.

We can advise on originals versus editions, framing, condition, and which works make the most sense for your wall and budget.

Available works

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View the available Gary Ray Smith works online, or get in touch for help choosing the right piece for your space.

A typewritten page with a paragraph about childhood memories and the author's father's advice about art.
Close-up of a typewritten text reading 'by Kitty Smith'.
Black and white portrait of a person with short curly hair, wearing a striped shirt, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.
A painting of two women walking through water with a hill and castle in the background, surrounded by white flowers in the foreground.
Typed text reading 'Gary Ray Smith – The Artist'
A man with curly hair and glasses holding a young child in his arms outdoors among green plants and flowers.
A woman on scaffolding outside a building is putting up papers or signs in a display case. Several people are walking on the sidewalk in the background.
Drawing of a baby in a walker with a vacuum cleaner attached, labeled "CLEAN".
A painted portrait of a woman with blue eyes, red lips, short light-colored hair covered with a white headscarf, and a red neckerchief. The background is plain and muted.
Page of typed text recalling memories about old vinyl records, moving to Cornwall in 2003, and artwork at Chelsea School of Art in the 1980s. Describes a shop called Claude Decrepney, a mascot called Roger, and a person's early work mixing self-portraits, landscapes, and knitted blankets.
A man with a beard holding a baby with blond hair and blue eyes, sitting on a dark brown couch.
A painted portrait of a young boy with brown hair, big eyes, and wearing a light-colored shirt.
A woman with dark hair wearing a black turtleneck and blue jeans holding a baby dressed in white, with the baby wearing a black hat with white polka dots, in an indoor setting.
Typed text about personal growth, family, and pursuing art, mentioning a son, knitting, YouTube, and being an artist.
A hand-drawn sketch of two young children with angel wings, standing with crossed arms, wearing only underwear.
A man smiling while carrying a young child on his shoulders outdoors on a cloudy day.
A young boy with blond hair smiling while holding a colorful, woven textile or blanket outdoors in front of greenery.
A watercolor illustration of a woman with long hair wearing a striped shirt and jeans, pushing a stroller with a small child. The text at the bottom reads 'Long Hair Don't Care' and there is handwritten text on the right side.
Typed excerpt about someone named Claude Decrepy, discussing his growth from a model to a person with a following, inspired by his grandfather, and his evolution into an artist.
A woman with dark brown hair and red lipstick and a man with short dark hair and a beard smiling, close together in a photo.
Painting of a man with blue eyes, pink cheeks, and a mustache, wearing a beige captain's hat with a black brim, against a dark green background. He is dressed in a red shirt with yellow and orange floral patterns. He has various tattoos on both arms, including a sun with a face, a skull, and a mermaid with curly hair. A black cat is in the background near his left shoulder.
A black and white photo of two adults and two children outdoors, with a building and trees in the background.
A pencil sketch of a large bear's face with a small child with wings standing on its nose
A portrait of a young girl with light skin, blue eyes, short dark hair with bangs, wearing a tiger-striped shirt, and a small tiger cub with blue eyes sitting on her shoulder against a teal background.
A typed excerpt of an inspiring speech about a man's passion for work and art, referencing a solo show opening on June 27 by Gary Ray Smith, and mentioning children watching him work.
A painting of a fierce lion with green eyes, sharp teeth, and a flowing yellow mane. A small winged fairy or angel figure is located above the lion with wings spread. A pink ribbon winds around the lion with the words 'We Move As One' written on it.
Four photo booth pictures of a man and woman, two with the man on the left and woman on the right, and two with the man and woman switched positions, all showing different facial expressions against a white background.
A hand-drawn sketch of a woman with medium-length hair and a child kneeling on one knee, holding her hand. To the right, there is handwritten text that reads: 'I wish I could remember you proposing to me. I wish that I had made the moment more memorable.'
Four young women at a party making funny faces, with two sticking out their tongues and two with their eyes closed, in front of a light-colored wall with a wooden door.
A white bear with a winged human figure riding on its back, holding a branch. A pink ribbon with the phrase 'One day soon we'll be together' floats above them. The background is dark blue with yellow dots.
A painting of a person dressed as a sailor, wearing a white sailor hat and a striped shirt, with a red neckerchief, light skin, blue eyes, and lipstick. The background is light gray, and there are some drawings and text at the bottom, including a skull and crossbones and an anchor with the words "Sailing" and "Nautical".
Black and white photo of a man with glasses and a young girl sitting outdoors among large plants. The man is lying back with a big smile, and the girl is smiling while sitting on his lap, with a paper hat on her head.
A collection of pencil sketches including two realistic cats with wings-like fur, two human faces showing expressive emotions, a skull outline, and a letter "I".
A portrait of a woman with blue eyes and mustache, wearing a turban, against a pink background. The woman’s upper body and arms are decorated with black line drawings of flowers, insects, and a landscape scene within a vase.
A painting depicting a woman flying over a blue sea at night with a moon in the sky, and a dark hill with a structure on top in the background.
Watercolor painting of a gray tabby cat sitting on a box with the words 'You Know I Love You' written on it.