Ray was trained in the 60's and 70's. Although his work is mainly abstract or constructivist, it is based on observations of the natural or man-made world, ideas of Western aesthetics or music. Just as not all music has words, Neumann's work does not have words - what you see is what the painting is really about.
He was trained using oil paint and was particularly interested in the technique and qualities of multi-layer glazing. After the development of acrylic paint, especially Liquitex, he found this media much more versatile. Testing under laboratory conditions has found it will last four hundred years without fading, yellowing or cracking. Unfortunately Liquitex is expensive, but it has an excellent range of opaque and transparent pigments.
Ray has also worked in theatre including designing and painting costumes for the Ngaio Marsh production of Macbeth and the production of Hobson's Choice by the Wellington Repertory Theatre.
Ray majored in painting and printmaking at the University of Canterbury School of Fine Art and later trained as a teacher at the Auckland Teachers College.
He taught art for many years before an involvement with the Department of Education including preparing the art syllabus for secondary schools and other roles pertaining to art education in schools. Since 1991 he has been a full-time painter after resigning from the Education Review Office.