Ray grew up in central California, not far from the Pacific Ocean, where an early connection to nature and the sea began to shape his creative outlook. He studied art at San Diego State University and later earned a master’s degree from Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. A dedicated scuba diver for over 40 years, Ray has logged more than 2,000 dives. He’s lived on Roatan, a Caribbean island along the world’s second-largest coral reef, for more than three decades.

His paintings reflect a long-standing relationship with the sea, blending observation with imagination. Influenced by years underwater and a lifetime of making art, Ray’s marine scapes capture both the quiet complexity and vivid energy of ocean life. With layered color and a slightly surreal edge, his work invites viewers to see the ocean not just as it is, but as it feels to someone who’s spent years exploring it from within.