"Sunset" Painting

Currently, I reside in South Kingstown, RI where I show my work in local galleries. Living in Rhode Island, my art has been influenced by the natural beauty of the area. The places featured in my work are well known to those of us living near the coast. The beaches, inlets, bay, saltwater ponds, and lakes are major features of my work. In particular, the changing atmospheric conditions are part of these studies. Light, though a critical factor in all paintings, is fundamental to landscape painting. Though we rarely see the sun in view, its location shapes all aspects of composition. Even on a cloud-covered day, the location of the sun will have a direct bearing on our perception of natural form. For this reason, changes in the sun that occur by season, time of day, and weather make any location a life study. Though the study of natural settings is the major inspiration for my work, I believe that the artist’s point of view should always be present in a work of art. Painting requires the physical manipulation of a fluid medium. In creating a work of art, the energy preserved in each stroke is a record of the artist’s struggle to present their worldview.

Biography:

Richard Levy is a graduate of Tufts University and the University of California, Berkeley. As an undergraduate he studied civil engineering and art and graduated with an engineering degree with a concentration in structural design. While at Tufts University, pursued his interest in sculpture and engineering. While in Boston he participated in several group shows including Project 70 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Invited Show of Proposed Sculpture for the City of Boston at Government Center and Tufts University Gallery, Medford, MA. Two of his large scale steel works were on display on the campus of Tufts University. While pursuing a Masters Degrees in architectural design at the University of California Berkeley Richard Levy was involved in theatre design, creating sets for several university productions. In conjunction with the production of Operation Sidewinder he designed and built an inflatable environmental piece for the lobby entrance way. Since joining the faculty of Environment Design at the University of Calgary he has been actively involved in creating virtual environments, under the auspices of the Virtual Museum Program of Canada. One of his works was part of an exhibit “Journey to Kitgaaryuk” at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa.