Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Boyer
Hi Richard , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Established artist represented in 8 two 9 galleries throughout the US. I started painting with oil paints as a kid and went to the University of Utah to study portraiture art under Alvin Gittens, a professor from England. After that lived in Germany for five to six years and met my wife from Sweden. Since then we have been traveling to Europe with the kids to visit family and for me to take off on painting expeditions throughout Europe.
We moved to Utah to raise our family and I have been selling work through galleries ever since. Now I am a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, American Impressionists Society, the American Society of Marine Artists and many plein air events as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It never is a smooth road as an artist. We pick a path that has no security with an employment check every two weeks, insurance, etc., etc. You branch out on a limb thinking it will be easy to get established in galleries and have smooth sales as an artist. Then reality hit you with rejections from galleries and lack luster sales. One of the biggest challenges is keeping your determination going, as an artist you hit many a brick wall as they say. You need to develop a thick skin, shake it off and come up running again. I have always been inspired by a famous line from Calvin Coolidge “ Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common that unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan. “Press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race “
I find that thought always helped me to try again after some kind of rejection. Now I can honestly say after many years of practice one does get better and the rejections start to become less !
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I tend to be very determined about painting and push myself to work everyday, except weekends, my wife Karin insisted that I take off to spend with the family. One should always critique your end result and see ways to improvement. Every Thursday we hold a critique session at my house. I invite several artist friends over and we just tell our views on the work. Sometimes this can be a little harsh, but it’s what is needed in order to improve. Nothing is worse than sending off your painting to a gallery, nothing happens sales wise and you get the thing back a year later with the explanation that nobody reacted to it !? The critique or viewpoint of another artist may help to point out what is wrong with the work in the first place. Also listen to your galleries, some time they can hear what the trend is in peoples taste. I use to sell a lot of European subject matter, then the recession hit and sales dropped way off. Some of my galleries said that people were staying closer to home…so why not paint close to home. They suggested San Francisco and Portland cityscapes, which took off and became popular.
What are your plans for the future?
I am always striving to get better at painting. I find getting outside to do plein air work really helps me to see better. So I have been taking part in many plein air events like Sonoma, Laguna Beach, Zions, etc. these events bring a bunch of artists together and the comradery is fantastic and you also get that much needed critique on your work !
And then again sometimes you get burned, literally. A few year back I did the Maui Plein Air event and left several of my painting with the gallery in Lahaina, the idea was that they would sell over the next year. Well that didn’t quite happen, everything burned up in ashes when the fire swept through the town. . So part of my “What’s Next “ will be to get re-invited to make up for those lost paintings and of course who wouldn’t want to paint again in Hawaii during the winter here in Salt Lake.
I am always striving to be represented in more galleries and to work to get more of a name in the art market.
Pricing:
- is established more or less by the market
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.richardboyerart.net
- Instagram: richard_boyer370
- Facebook: richard.boyer.39
