Roslyn resident Alan Richards, an audiologist by profession, has enjoyed a long and fruitful second career as a sculpture and a painter.
This year, Richards remains as busy as ever. His work has appeared or will appear in no less than 10 exhibits. His artwork is currently on display at the following shows:
• “State of Being.” Sponsored by the Arts Guild of New Jersey & RSI Bank, Rahway, N.J., June 8 – July 3.
• “What’s So Funny? Humor in Art.” Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, May 9 – June 22, Lincroft, N.J.
• A solo show at the Port Washington Library, September-October, 2014. Port Washington.
In previous months of 2014, Richards’s work appeared at exhibits at the Queens Botanical Garden Gallery, the Huntington Arts Council, the Whimsical Gallery Southampton, Southampton and the Manhattan Arts International.
Among Richards’s most recent work is the sculpture, “Chutes & Ladders; Life’s Game.”
“The sculpture was inspired by a picture I did with the same name,” he said.
Richards was born and raised in New York City, which is the scene for much of his work.
“Although not formally trained in art, I have produced artworks of various sorts for many years,” he said. “By profession, I am an audiologist.
“I have always been interested in art and design. My earlier works were done in ink and watercolors and are shown on my website. My interest in computers and design evolved into composite images (photomanipulations) from multiple photographics. Sometimes people think that these images are simple photographs. Not so. They consist of multiple images in which segments of one photo are melded into the framework of the entire image. These image composites often take on a surrealistic feeling. My goal as an artist is to turn mundane events into unique images, which tell a story.
“My favorite painters are Rene Magritte and Edward Hopper,” he added. “So, whether by design or personality, the works appear to either depict quirky scenes or those of solitude or a combination of both.
Richard’s artists’ statement is as follows:
“I find that my artwork is a definite extension of my inner feelings,” he said. “It represents how I view events and people around me, things that I see that are ridiculous or inane, social trends and societal warped values, getting older, media hyperbole, and a whole host of other things irking or wonderful.
“So, when I look at the body of work that I’ve produced thus far, I see a mix of satirical pieces, pieces of individuals not communicating with each other, or other scenes of solitude, friendship, or beauty,” he continued. “It’s schizoid but it represents the feelings of this artist.
“I like the satirical pieces best because they portray the inner feelings I have in a humorous or whimsical way,” he added. “Although the pieces are sometimes bizarre, it is my desire that viewers will appreciate the story, the message, and the humor.
“It would be nice for everyone to like my works but that’s not going to happen,” he concluded. “So, if an individual does not happen to like my work, that’s okay. It’s expected. I have a great time producing the work and I hope that you enjoy it too.”
For more information, go to Richards’s website at: http://alanrichardsart.com.
