George Reay was born in Newcastle, England. He studied at the Westminster School of Art and the Central School of Arts, London before cutting a career in the capital as an advertising creative director, working on a raft of famous brands during the 60's and 70's at the iconic "Ogilvy and Mather" agency. In the 80's he returned as a prominent figure in the Newcastle advertising scene. Retiring in 1996, George has since returned to his first love of painting.