Jason Breach (UK) spalted beech box 8x7cm. SignedI first met Ray when I was 14 in 1986. He always attended and demonstrated at the Woodworker show at Wembley, I can remember his encouragement and treasure his book that I have from that time. On leaving college in High Wycombe we did a show at Art in Action, I was demonstrating for the college, on setting up I suddenly realized that Ray was demonstrating and selling items on the next stand, right next to me, I can remember having to reprice my work. When I started working for APTC we had visiting tutors, Ray being one, he was great to watch and talk with, as when we held the APTC shows, always there to demo and talk with, his simple lines and shapes have rubbed off on me. The spalted beech box shows a Ray key lid with the added bead finial, a very simple shape in a difficult timber to work with. When I selected the timber for this I knew I wanted to make a box, as most turners will be making a bowl, boxes were a major part of Ray’s artistic flare, one of the reasons that I make a lot of boxes was Rays encouragement over those years. Ray has been a major influence to so many, in so many ways. There is one line I can remember that he said - keep it simple.The Ray Key Collaboration Auction