My name is Tom Ray,
I'm a musician who makes cartoons and collects retro toys, games, and books.
I've been a musician since I was in fourth grade and still actively making music to this day with my band Lorenzo's Music.
I'm also a collector of vintage toys, games, and illustrated books from the 90s and earlier that I sell on eBay.
Growing up I always drew cartoons and had made cartoon animations.
Starting my art podcast
Back in 2017, I got the idea to start an artist podcast to meet more artists and creators.
Tom Ray's Art Podcast is a podcast about artists that I started here in Madison, WI.
It's about artists of all types and places in their careers, beginners, hobbyists, and professionals from all over. Basically, if you are an artist of some sort I would love to have you on the show!
Contact
For inquiries, please contact tom@tomrayswebsite.com
"Every episode offers some new and unexpected insight into the lives of these working artists, due largely to Ray’s boundless enthusiasm and earnest curiosity."
- Chris Lay, Isthmus"Tom Ray isn't afraid of trying something new. Bands, animated shorts, podcasts, websites – his philosophy is to just dive right in and figure it out as he’s doing it."
- Rob Thomas, The Capital Times
I started this show because I wanted to get back into making art and getting involved with the community here in Madison. And what better way to do that than to find people and talk to them directly. I wanted to hear about how people create, promote themselves, and in the meantime still manage their own well-being.
Tom Ray's Art Podcast
The shows are released as seasons with limited episodes.- New episodes on Sunday (when a season is in progress).
- Conversations with artists and creatives.
My Background
I was originally going to be an animator but life and kids happened.
I created a short-lived internet cartoon series called "The Adventures of Xylus and Dexter", where my two boys are superheroes in outer space, because why not?
It gained mild popularity and it even landed me a chance to make an animated pilot for the series "The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
This was all before YouTube, so I had to learn how to make a website to put the cartoons online. That website helped me get a job in web development. After that, I spent years working on websites and software.
Then one day I realized that wasn't what I started out to do.
I decided to try and get involved in art again. But many years had passed, and I didn't even know what the art community in my own city was like anymore. I decided I wanted to connect with them directly.
I had been podcasting for years hosting the show Music Manumit where I talked with creative commons musicians from all over the world about releasing music and remix culture. While doing that show I've also had the opportunity to interview organizations like Kickstarter, Patreon & IndieGoGo.
I'm also the singer for the experimental art-rock band Lorenzo's Music.
Contact
For inquiries, please contact tom@tomrayswebsite.com