Diamonds, Dancers and other Distractions represents three discrete and contrasting routes through Ray's art making or three slices of the cake.

Ray was the County Art Adviser for Suffolk prior to becoming the founding Director of Suffolk Anglia Ruskin University based at Belstead House in Ipswich. He has made art works all his life and has been an art educationist throughout his career.

Summer University was a popular part of the work of Suffolk Anglia Ruskin University and featured many practical art modules. Anthony Frost, the son of Sir Terry Frost, joined Ray as a tutor throughout this period and they collaborated on degree delivery and practical art-making each year. The blue diamond painting comes from this period. Ray developed the diamond totems based on this enjoyable experience and has kept the theme running alongside his other projects.

The Three Dancers has emerged as a dominant theme over the last twenty years and the examples here demonstrate the reworking of an image initially realised as a mixed media collage.

Other Distractions includes a variety of works that emerged in the period post 1993. This was the year Ray recovered from a stroke and celebrated by having an exhibition at Belstead House calledAt a stroke the colour back in my life!