Ray Olsen graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. He also studied at the Art Students League and the School of Visual Arts. He is an art director and designer, a fine artist and professional photographer.

He is inspired by the New England landscape and the natural world. He discovered etching, oil painting and pastel painting while studying at Parsons. His works have been shown in many galleries throughout the New York and New England area and many of his etchings hang in prominent homes. He is now showing at the Underground Gallery in Collinsville; the Turkey Ridge Gallery in Ridgefield and the Terryville Public Library in Terryville. He has also been shown at the Burlington Public Library and the Simsbury Library and many outdoor and indoor shows all over the tri-state area.

Olsen says he looks at the natural world as the most inspiring subject he could possibly work from. He sees the individual forms of trees and flowers, as many people would find in different faces and forms of humanity.