Born in Dublin, Gray grew up on Grove Avenue in Blackrock.
His father worked for the Guinness company.
Gray studied at All Saints, Blackrock, the Blackrock Technical Institute and the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.

After a short period he left to study under Cecil ffrench Salkeld ARHA.
At the age of nineteen Gray joined The Dublin Atelier, a small group of painters who exhibited at The Dublin Painters Gallery.
During this period Gray was inspired by the early works of the French painter Bernard Buffet who had won the Prix de la critique, in Paris in 1948 at the age of 20.

Gray had a studio on Leeson Street in the early 1950s.
There he made a wash drawing of the artist Patrick Swift which he used as a base for a large canvas homage to the painter some years later.
Gray's first paid work was a commission by University College Dublin to design the setting and costumes for their production of The King's Threshold by W.B. Yeats.
The lead in the play was given to the young actor-poet John Jordan.
During the preparations and rehearsals Gray painted a portrait of Jordan which now hangs in the collection of The Dublin Writers Museum.
At this point the artist Cecil ffrench Salkeld ARHA (Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy) took an interest in Gray, and gave him a room in his Dublin home where Gray studied old master techniques.
Salkeld was visited by writers, painters and musicians, such as Brian O'Nolan, Arland Ussher, Francis Stuart, Marten Cumberland and John Beckett, cousin of Samuel.
Gray painted John Beckett during this period and the portrait now hangs in St. Columba's College, Dublin, where Beckett had his first music lessons.
Gray became a close friend of Brendan Behan and was asked to be best man at Behan's wedding.
Gray designed many settings for The Pike Theatre including the production of The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams.
After the success in Dublin, the play was transferred to The Grand Opera House, Belfast and Gray travelled there to redesign and create the much larger settings need for the bigger stage.
 Look Back in Anger by John Osborne was at the same time running at the Opera House and Gray befriended and sketched the leading actress Jocelyn Britton.
Later he designed the sets for Nekrassov by Jean-Paul Sartre which was mounted at The Gate Theatre.
Gray later went on a tour of Ireland with The Dublin Repertory Theatre Company designing their productions, including The Wood of the Whispering by M. J. Molloy.
Born in Dublin, Gray grew up on Grove Avenue in Blackrock. His father worked for the Guinness company. Gray studied at All Saints, Blackrock, the Blackrock Technical Institute and the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.
After a short period he left to study under Cecil ffrench Salkeld ARHA. At the age of nineteen Gray joined The Dublin Atelier, a small group of painters who exhibited at The Dublin Painters Gallery. During this period Gray was inspired by the early works of the French painter Bernard Buffet who had won the Prix de la critique, in Paris in 1948 at the age of 20.
Gray had a studio on Leeson Street in the early 1950s. There he made a wash drawing of the artist Patrick Swift which he used as a base for a large canvas homage to the painter some years later. Gray's first paid work was a commission by University College Dublin to design the setting and costumes for their production of The King's Threshold by W.B. Yeats. The lead in the play was given to the young actor-poet John Jordan. During the preparations and rehearsals Gray painted a portrait of Jordan which now hangs in the collection of The Dublin Writers Museum. At this point the artist Cecil ffrench Salkeld ARHA (Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy) took an interest in Gray, and gave him a room in his Dublin home where Gray studied old master techniques. Salkeld was visited by writers, painters and musicians, such as Brian O'Nolan, Arland Ussher, Francis Stuart, Marten Cumberland and John Beckett, cousin of Samuel. Gray painted John Beckett during this period and the portrait now hangs in St. Columba's College, Dublin, where Beckett had his first music lessons. Gray became a close friend of Brendan Behan and was asked to be best man at Behan's wedding. Gray designed many settings for The Pike Theatre including the production of The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. After the success in Dublin, the play was transferred to The Grand Opera House, Belfast and Gray travelled there to redesign and create the much larger settings need for the bigger stage.  Look Back in Anger by John Osborne was at the same time running at the Opera House and Gray befriended and sketched the leading actress Jocelyn Britton. Later he designed the sets for Nekrassov by Jean-Paul Sartre which was mounted at The Gate Theatre. Gray later went on a tour of Ireland with The Dublin Repertory Theatre Company designing their productions, including The Wood of the Whispering by M. J. Molloy.
Reginald Gray (artist)