Who Is Ray Rum?
Ray Rum is the ninth of ten children born through the unlikely, yet very happy, marriage of an African warlord and an award winning Parisian chef. Born on a cold and gray Chicago morning in the ghetto, Ray was raised jointly by loving parents and involved neighbors. Ray began painting and drawing in the second grade and continued painting through elementary school – frequently winning local awards and eventually winning the Grand Champion Award, First Place, at the National Youth Artist Convention in Cincinnati for a post-modern watercolor of President Abraham Lincoln.
While in high school, Ray abandoned art as an “unnecessary distraction from the real world,” which, he would also record in his journal, “is too corrupt to render.” He became actively involved in grass roots politics throughout what would otherwise have been his college youth. Eventually attaining a degree in Anthropology from Ithaca University, Ray joined the merchant marines in an effort to “…satisfy [his] passion for all things worldly.” It was this passion for wealth and adventure that resulted in a short stint as a mercenary in Persia (Iran) shortly following the Khomenei coup in 1979, and a related effort as a Private in the French Foreign Legion. On returning stateside, Ray became a high tech salesman in Chicago. In the late 1990’s Ray turned his full attention to Philanthropy – thus satisfying both his desire to, once again, travel and also too feed people.
Nicknamed the "Renaissance Man" by the late Italian philanthropist Donato Montrelle, Ray’s passion for art was re-emerging when, in 2005, he set out to explore Central and South America in search of inspiration and adventure. It wasn’t until February 2006 while sailing the Amazon River in Brazil that Ray reached the crossroads of the Rio Negro (Black River). It was here that he found what he sought, "...The water ran black and golden for miles, side by side, curved like a woman's body on canvas." It was then Ray decided to dedicate his talent to discovery and interpretation of female beauty, and also to painting. Ray has been successfully portraying human emotion, female form and subconscious thought ever since. In May of 2007 he was the keynote speaker at the Southwest Regional “Understanding Through Art” (U.T.A) recognition ceremony and now holds an honorary board position with that organization. He also belongs to ACORN and consults for the Heritage Foundation a relationship with which facilitated a sitting with the Honorable Mr. Rumsfeld.