Sunday, February 24, 2013

Blue Corn

Kirk Richards "Blue Corn" 1996  Private Collection

Kirk Richards (b. 1952) was born, raised and currently lives in Amarillo, Texas. For someone from that area of the country Richards seems relatively uninterested in the usual southwestern style art scene. In fact this painting has the most southwestern flavor of any works of his I have seen. And rather than focusing on a big-hatted cowpunch, Richards has turned his intimist gaze on a Pueblo artist at work. This interior has a Vermeer-like calm, showing a moment of absorption in an artist's life, suspended for our contemplation.

Richards earned two degrees from West Texas State University and studied privately with the artist Richard Lack. He taught for many years, founding his own atelier of classical realism, and has also written about art for various publications including the Classical Realism Journal.  His work has been exhibited widely, and he is currently represented by Gandy Gallery. The artist's website can be found here.

~Many thanks to Eliza Drake Auth for sending me this image~

1 comment:

Quilter's Diary said...

I like the contemplative nature of the potter's face, and the way he uses those deep shadows to highlight the upper half of the painting.