Ray completed his Art Diploma at Alexander Mackie CAE in 1979, majoring in Painting and Photography. He has exhibited regularly at Lake Russell Gallery and throughout the NSW North Coast region as well as at Dewards Fine Art in Brisbane. His most recent exhibition “Pandanus Tectorius” at the Grafton Regional Gallery received critical acclaim from professionals and art lovers alike - the gallery acquiring three works to add to their permanent collection.
Celebrated Australian artist Fred Cress has been a seminal influence on Ray’s painting. Fred’s philosophy and painting process were revelations to the fledgling artist. Fred was Ray’s Painting and Drawing teacher and Ray has adopted elements of Fred’s layering technique, to build form, to create painterly surfaces and translucent colour effects.
Ray’s early passion for Black and White Photography is evident in the dramatic tonal contrasts present in his works.
His themes range from landscapes, relationships and commissioned portraits to personal, symbolic representations of the search for meaning.
His artworks are held in private collections in Australia, Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. and in the collection of Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW.
