Barrie Bray was born in Cornwall, therefore the sea was always present and unsurprisingly an integral influence on his own work. The view from his studio, positioned as it is on the edge of the sea overlooking Mount's Bay, is ever changing, full of moods and momentary insights as the light moves here and there.

In the local traditional way, he worked mainly en plein air, but he also took sketches back to his studio for completion and fitted them into a themed series. He was married to the artist Heather BRAY, and his late daughter Lucie BRAY was also an artist who painted in the open air.