Henry Ray Clark was born October 12, 1936 in Bartlett, in Williamson County, Texas to Lucille Young and Lee Clark. Three years later the family relocated to Houston. His parents separated when Henry Ray was twelve years old. Lee Clark, a general contractor, relocated to Frenso, fifteen miles south of Houston, and Henry Ray remained in Houston’s Third Ward with his mother, who worked as a housekeeper. After completing the sixth grade at Douglas Elementary School, Clark dropped out of school.

Many of Clark’s drawings allude to the unknown powers of the universe. In numerous works female figures in alluring costumes confront the viewer. Their physical attributes symbolize sexual power white halos around their heads suggest a spiritual power. These figures frequently assume a frontal stance, arms akimbo, indicating that they are forces of great authority. In other works heads extraterrestrial beings float in space surrounded by cosmic entities and texts written in unknown alphabets. These texts suggest the presence of special powers and knowledge beyond our understanding. The brightly colored, complex geometric patterns set against black backgrounds with which Clark typically surrounds the figures or which make up the designs of the drawings suggest mandala designs symbolic of the universe.