Most people would say, with no offence intended, that Ray does not look like an artist. What they expect an artist to "look like", who knows – perhaps someone with a Bohemian look and a headband or someone in provincial French attire and beret? Whatever they expect, their guess as to his occupation would be closer to some of his previous work as a boatbuilder or rigger.

The second surprise is the medium Ray uses for his work, which is pencil and pastel. Once told this, viewers of his work almost always do a second take and look closer at the paintings, often commenting that they have never seen work like his done in pencil and pastel. This medium is one that Ray has stuck with by choice.

From childhood, Ray always had a flair for and interest in sketching, and always worked in graphite pencil until a chance revelation that coloured pencils came in a huge range of types and were not just kiddies colouring pencils, but real artists tools. Upon buying his first coloured pencils, Ray found he had to teach himself all over how to draw, or in a truer description, paint, with pencils and pastels. This leads, I suppose to the third surprise, that Ray has no formal art training. His skill comes from a combination of natural talent, and a passion to portray historical maritime scenes in a way that he feels gives the observer a window into the past.

Ray’s inspiration for paintings comes from his interest in maritime history. He may read of a particular event, such as ‘Last Fight of the Revenge’ or type of vessel or their work, such as the paintings of the dories and schooners of the Grand Banks fisheries. By the way, there is another story to ‘Dorymen’; or rather ‘Fishing for Bricks’ as my friend Penny and I will eternally know this painting.

The subjects of Ray’s paintings are always ships or boats, but sometimes the focus of the painting is not the vessel, but how it is affected by the wind and sea conditions. His most coveted compliments come not from art critics, but from fishermen, seamen, sailors and those that know the sea, who look at this work and say, "I’ve been in a sea just like that."

Ray’s love of sailing and traditional boats drives not only his artwork, but has seen us restore and sail three of our own luggers. Having now completed the restoration of ‘Pet’ our Cornish dipping lugger, originally built in 1903, Ray now hopes to carve a full-time career in maritime art.

I hope you enjoy the work in this exhibition, the build up to which has been full of excitement and apprehension, and on my part a huge amount of pride in my husband and his work.