Sunday, February 8, 2009

Art Buddy

My art buddy Richard did the heavy lifting to bring his two latest paintings, already framed, over to our house for a private showing before dinner. “Will Paint For Food,” he jokes.


Richard Cecil, neo-classical painter and sculptor, is a neighbor of mine in Pine Lake, Ga. I call him my art buddy, because he’s not my baseball buddy or my drinking buddy, since those are not the things we do together. Instead, we go to art museums and galleries, and he takes us on field trips, like the time he brought my wife and me along to The Inferno Art Foundry in Union City, where he was casting his Centaur in bronze.

Our favorite local museum is The Booth Museum of Western Art in Cartersville, to which we are multiple return visitors. We love the cowboys and Indians, the deserts and mountains. Sometimes before our excursions, my art buddy likes to take us to brunch at the Golden Corral on U.S. 78 in Snellville. If we arrive at just the right hour, we can begin with pancakes and eggs as appetizers, followed by a main course of fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread.

Richard Cecil is a widely known and extremely versatile artist. He received his early training at the Mona Lisa School of Art, and he had his first work published at age twelve. Richard also studied at the Chicago Art Institute and the Milwaukee Museum of Natural History. Along with his academic background, Richard has traveled extensively, studying and developing his knowledge of form and color principles that result in his current unique style. Richard is especially recognized for his mastery of anatomical compositions and his ability to capture the physical movements and reactions.

Richard says, “Visions of fine art have been flowing through my soul since I was a young boy. It is a wonderful gift to be born with and to this day I remain in humble awe of the creative process. I don’t want people to simply walk by one of my paintings or sculptures but stop and spend time with it as you would an old friend and enjoy the moment.”

Richard is equally comfortable with painting and sculpting. “Sometimes I feel that the proper expression should be shown in a painting while others become sculptures. It is never a conscious choice but rather an inner feeling about what is to be expressed and shown to the world,” he explains.

Richard has a wonderful website The Cecil Gallery, Investment Quality Paintings and Sculpture, and arranges private showing, a great treat as he describes his artwork and gives mini-seminars in the processes of their creation. His Pine Lake house itself is a delight to view, designed by Richard, a cottage imagined in Nordic children’s fables.

Copyright 2009 by William C. Cotter

Images of original artwork copyright by Richard Cecil

11 comments:

Tina said...

Your art buddy Richard does wonderful work & I enjoyed reading about it.

Anonymous said...

I love Richard Cecil! He is a creative genius. We are going to do some hobbitat projects together when the market turns.

Anonymous said...

I forwarded it to fifty of my closest friends who also know Richard, some of whom may already be on your mailer.

Anonymous said...

who is that terrifically handsome artist in your photos? and with such beautiful work. I can't help but think that the beauty, grace, and delight that is obvious in all his sculptures and paintings (and houses) must reflect a similar state of beauty, grace and delight in his own being!! if i were a rich old dowager, I would try to persuade this talented, burly man to be my kept artist, and instruct him to fill the world with his magical cottages, sculptures and bright, winking paintings. as it is, I'm just a poor girl, and though I have proposed marriage to Mr. Cecil on several occasions, he never took me up on it!! Sad for me, good for the rest of the world who gets to enjoy (when lucky) his beautiful art work!!

Cotter Pen said...

Maybe we should just let you two be alone.

Anonymous said...

By all means follow the link to Richard's own website. In the category "paintings" find the one entitled "The Female Nude". That's me! Richard says he was inspired to do this painting based on the way I lay on my living room floor watching T-V. I did not get neckid. I have not posed neckid since I turned 65. And I'm thinking that the next female who posts a comment on this blog is going to claim Richard has fathered her child.

Unknown said...

In the category "paintings" find the one entitled "The Female Nude". That's me! Richard says he was inspired to do this painting based on the way I lay on my living room floor watching T-V.Wow! Richard must tell all the ladies how they inspire him. :) He told me I was the inspiration. Bad Richard! :)

HELP!!!!!!! said...

Hi. I have a painting of Richards. I have no idea where it came from, how much or for that matter find anyone who knows anything about him. If someone reads this and can give me some insight that would be awesome. carlybethpatrick@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Richard Cecil can be contacted in the following manner.
Jacque1058@gmail.com
(916) 369-5345
He is working and accepting commisioned jobs!
He is a wonderful man with an enormous amount of talant and heart. Please let us know if we can help, should you want another piece!!

Jessica M said...

is there a link or info to see more artwork or sculptures?

Cotter Pen said...

Yes. Click on the link cited in the posting.

 

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