Ray Lonsdale was born and raised in Central Illinois where he spent 16 years in the computer software training and graphic design industries.

Beginning with the advent of the Apple Macintosh in 1984, Ray started to focus his creative energies on what was to be known as the "Desktop Publishing Revolution". Training graphic artists and designers on programs like Quark XPress, Pixel Paint, Adobe Illustrator, Aldus (Now Adobe) Pagemaker, and ImageStudio, Ray continued to expand his knowledge of computer graphics, working with most of the top ad agencies in the Central Illinois area, as well as with large in-house communications departments including the creative team at Caterpillar Inc.

In 1988, Ray went to work for Dynamic Graphics, Inc. as a Product Manager for their newly created electronic art subscription service, Designer's Club. In 1991 he was promoted to Assistant Manager of the Computer Graphics Division of Dynamic Graphics, overseeing production of all electronic art produced for Electronic Clipper, Electronic Print Media Service and Designer's Club. In 1993, Ray was a founding partner for a new division of Dynamic Graphics that was to become the Dynamic Graphics' New Media Studio. In the seven plus years that followed, Ray produced an interactive monthly magazine called IDEA SOURCE, creating real-time tutorials that covered every aspect of electronic publishing, illustration, design, multimedia and digital video production. Additionally, the New Media Studio opened it's doors to produce client work and subsequently created a 2-CD set of interactive lessons on the human body and HIV-AIDS for the Hult Health Education Center. Other titles were also produced, including kiosks for the Gutenburg Festival in Long Beach, California, an interactive sales tool for a large printing company, and a series of multimedia titles including clip textures & backgrounds, interface designs, sound effects & music, 3D models and tutorial discs for the novice multimedia & web designer.

In 2000, Ray and his family relocated to Orlando, Florida, were Ray has had the opportunity to expand his creative horizons in UI design and content creation for the entertainment and military industries.

Why Blue Yonder Interactive? Ray's Dad was a private pilot, having learned to fly during the second World War. Ray was flying with his Dad even before he learned to walk and while he has yet to become a pilot himself, his memories of that time spent chasing across the wild blue yonder really left a lasting impression. His Dad passed away in 1995 and as a tribute, Ray dubbed his portfolio website Blue Yonder Interactive.