UAM’s Tom Richard To Exhibit New Artwork At Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum February 10 – May 6 (2/1/12)

MONTICELLO, AR — Tom Richard will be exhibiting new artwork in the exhibition “Utilizing Experiences and Myth” in the Trinity Gallery for Arkansas Artists at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock February 10 through May 6.
            A public opening and artist’s reception will be held February 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. and will be tied to the Second Friday Art Night Art Trolley.
            Richard is a professor of art at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and has been a member of the UAM faculty since 1997. His exhibit includes mixed media pieces encompassing acrylic, gouache, watercolor, graphite, ink, and color pencil on paper.  The work addresses issues of history and history making through use of text, images of toys from Richard’s childhood, and historical art references.
             The major series of larger works combine more images and quotes, with the quotes coming from contrasting sources such as philosophical essays and pop culture. The quotes are combined in a spontaneous manner with images of toys from Richard’s childhood, painting effects, and art historical sources.
            “I want the viewer to have the same amount of fun and interest in analyzing or viewing the work and dealing with the connections, as I had in the creation of the work,” explained Richard.
             Richard’s other works are intended to be studies in working out color choices, image choices, painting or other media effects to be used in the larger works, but have now evolved into completed pieces.
            Richard’s work has been displayed in selected solo exhibitions, including “Relativities” at Henderson State University (2012); “Jokes and Bombs” at the Baton Rouge (La.) Gallery (2012); “Echelon” at Du Mois Gallery, New Orleans (2011); “Coordinating Conjunctions” at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (2011); “Hands On” at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. (2010); and “Cereal Inquiries” at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock (2008).  His work has been included in over 100 national juried and invitational exhibitions including the recent After School Special at the University Art Museum in Albany, N.Y., and is currently included in the Arkansas Arts Council’s Small Works on Paper, which will travel to 10 locations throughout the state in 2012.
            Richard is represented by Blue Moon Gallery in Hot Springs, by Du Mois Gallery in New Orleans, and by Baton Rouge Gallery.