Cynthia Carden-Gibson & Dale Larson (USA) olive bowl with pyrography and coloured 8x9cm. SignedDale’s words…I am very proud to have known Ray Key and worked with him for more than 20 years. I took a class from him at Arrowmont in 1997 and hosted Ray here when he taught classes in my shop. I am most proud of helping provide a letter when the crew in England made an application for Ray to receive the Queen’s honours. As president of AAW I was asked to write a letter about what Ray meant to woodturning in America. I wrote the letter and sent the rough draft to the organisers in England. I asked them to translate my English into proper English. To paraphrase Churchill, we are a common people separated by the English language. They did and I sent the formal letter for the honours application. Ray received the honours and I was proud to be a small part of that. I have a photograph of Ray in my shop. I owe him a great deal.Cynthia’s words…I fondly recall presenting for one of my first symposia years ago along with Ray Key and many other noted artisans. At an after hours gathering of the presenters, Ray told stories of the early days of woodturning which led into the wee hours of the morning along with tremendous laughter. I learned so much about our craft from Ray during that epic gathering. I am proud to have experienced his generosity, kindness and tireless excitement for the art of woodturning.The Ray Key Collaboration Auction