Ray James Tjangala is the son of Anatjari Tjampitjinpa (1927-1999), one of the founders of the Papunya Artists Collective. Ray James was born around 1958 in the bush and in 1963 his family left the desert for Papunya.
It is noticeable that the friendship of Ray James with Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi, one of the first painters and an authority on ceremonial matters, has been major influence on his work. His paintings are usually executed in two colors. By playing with the possibilities of optical lines and curves on a two-dimensional surface, the works of Ray James, just as the work of George Tjungurrayi creates a strong illusory effect.