(Artwork above: Winter by Richard Boyer)

Richard Boyer lived in Germany where he studied languages at the Universitaet Kiel. With Kiel as a homebase, he traveled throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He departed from Kiel in 1984 for the ‘mod’ lifestyle of West Berlin. This exposure provided a rich backdrop for experimentation in painting styles.

Richard divides his time between Utah and Sweden. He travels frequently throughout Europe and America from the quiet waterways of Amsterdam and the rolling hills of Provence to the jagged peaks of the American Rocky Mountains. His landscapes draw on the traditional approach to oil paintings, but are contrasted by a richer textural quality.

“Painting for me has been and always will be a lifelong journey of learning. As I see objects and record my ideas on the canvas, I realize there is so much more to painting than merely applying the pigment on a surface according to a preconceived formula. There is a learning process I am experiencing from one painting to the next, a quest for knowledge to know the subject on which I am working.”

More recently Richard’s paintings have been inspired by some of our great American cities, such as New York, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle and our very own Portland, Oregon. Richard sets out on foot with his camera and paint box, exploring and capturing the interiors of these concrete jungles.Back in the studio, armed with numerous photos and sketches for reference, Richard begins bringing these unique and beautiful ‘urban-scapes’ to life on larger canvases.

“Portland, Oregon has become one of my favorite subjects.The city is
beautiful and continues to inspire me each visit. Its unique colors, reflections, light and atmosphere play out beautifully on canvas.”