The Karen Wray Gallery
1247 Central Avenue, Suite D-2
Los Alamos, NM 87544
(505) 660-6382
kewray40@comcast.net

Richard Prather

VIEW ALL ARTWORK
Richard Prather

About the Artist:

Love for the natural environment has been central to Richard's life.  From his early days as a Boy Scout to college where Richard earned a B.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences in 1981 from Texas A&M University and worked for the next 30 years as a Life Scientist helping to protect and conserve natural resources.  From his early days of drawing with pencil Richard was largely self-taught having started painting in the late 70’s while in College.  He is quick to point out that besides the 30 plus years of study and painting on his own he credits the many workshops from some of the very best plein air artists working today with having the largest impact on the quality of his work.  Recent successes in plein air events and acceptances in to numerous national juried shows attest to that fact.  Iconic images of the American West and atmospheric landscapes comprise the largest part of Richard’s work today.  

 

Richard is a Signature member of the Oil Painters of America and a Master Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters New Mexico.  Richard currently lives in Placitas, New Mexico with his wife Sharla and their dog Cody. 

Résumé:

 

2019: 28thAnnual Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils. Illume Gallery of Fine Arts, Saint George, Utah.

 

2018:

Fechin Invitational Winter Exhibition?~ Taos Art Museum, Taos, NM

BoldBrush Award, July 2018, BoldBrush On-line Art Competition.

Oil Painters of America, 27th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils. Steamboat Museum of Art.

Oil Painters of America, 2018 Salon Show Juried Exhibition, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Traverse City, MI

ArtsThrive, Albuquerque Museum, Abq. NM.

5th annual Art on the Llano Estacado Art Exhibition and Sale, Lubbock, TX

 

2017:

PAPNM, Annual Membership Show, Master Signature Member Exhibit.

Telluride Invitational Plein Air Event.

Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Exhibition in Saint George, Utah.

One Man Show, Purple Sage Gallery, Albuquerque, NM.

"Rabbitbrush" was awarded the honor Finalist by William Suys in the January Bold Brush Competition

"Canyon Shade", Finalist in Master Category, Art Muse On-Line Competition.  Juror, Marc Hanson.

 

2016:
 

Award of Excellence in Oils, PAPNM Annual Members Show, Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.

Award of Excellence, Encantada, Fine Arts Building, Albuquerque, NM

Award of Excellence in Oil or Acrylic, Santa Fe Plein Air Festival, Plein Air Painters New Mexico,

Outdoor Painters Society, Plein Air Salon Southwest, Dallas, TX

The Museum of Texas Tech University, Art on the Llano Estacado, Invitational Show

Master Works of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque Museum of Art, Miniatures and More Invitational

Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Exhibition, Scottsdale, AZ

Master Class Finalist, ArtMuse On-Line Art Contest, Juror Terry Miura

 

2015:

Santa Fe Plein Air Art Festival, Award of Excellence in Oil or Acrylic.

Virtuosos of OPA, Salmagundi Club, NY, NY.

12th Annual Telluride Plein Air Event.

CAC Paint The Rockies, Estes Park, CO.

Art for the Endangered Landscape, Durango CO.

Big Places Small Spaces, One Man Show, Purple Sage Gallery, Alb. NM

Mountain Oyster Club, Annual Exhibition and Sale, Tucson, AZ

 

2014:  

Oil Painters of America, 23rd National Exhibition, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT.

Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Show, Carmel by the Sea, CA

Purchase Award, National Small Oil Painting Exhibition, Wichita Center for the Arts.

CAC Fine Art Gallery, Long May They Run; A Tribute to American Wildlife, Invited Artist, Estes Park, CO

Artist Choice Award- Arte de Los Brazos, Art Show, Possum Kingdom, TX

 Marjorie Kirtley Award of Merit, 4th Annual Texas Spirit Art Show, Graham, TX

3rd Place, 2nd Annual Paint Santa Fe, Inart Gallery, Sante Fe, NM.

CAC Arts for the Parks Show, Estes Park, CO

 FAV15% February BoldBrush Painting Competition

 FAV15% April BoldBrush Painting Competition

Fav 15% August, BoldBrush Painting Competition

 

2013:

Best of Show Award, PAPNM, Paint Santa Fe, Gary Kim Gallery

Monthly Finalist, Bold Brush On-line Competition

Oil Painters of America, 22nd National Exhibition, InSight Gallery

Art for the Parks, CAC Gallery, Estes Park

Served as Juror for Paint Historic Waxahachie, Ellis Co. Arts Association.

 

2012:

Oil Painters of America, 21st National Exhibition, Evergreen Fine Art Gallery

Oil Painters of America, Western Regional, Gallery 1261

Richardson Civic Art Society, 46th Annual juried Art Exhibition, Eisemann Center, Best of Show/Purchase Award

Paint the Rockies 2012, Town of Estes Park Silver Award

RayMar Fine Art Competition; February Finalist

Plein Air Southwest Salon 2012, Southwest Gallery, Dallas TX, Artists Choice and Progressive Service Merit Award

Salon International Fine Art Show, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio TX

 

2011:

Salon International, Green House Gallery, San Antonio, TX

Plein-Air Southwest, Honorable Mention, Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX

26th Annual Bosque Art Classic, Clifton Texas, Bosque Arts Center

Plein Air Rockies 2011, Estes Park, Colorado,

Arts of the Park, Cultural Arts Council, Estes Park Colorado

Plein Air Painters New Mexico, Land and Light Show, Millicent Rogers Museum, Jack Richeson Award

Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Show, Lee Youngman Galleries, Calistoga California

 

2010:

American Plains Artist Show, Lincoln, NE.

Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX

Nomadus del Arte, Southwest Gallery, Dallas TX

Paint the Town, marble Falls, TX

PAAC Juried members Show, Saks Galleries, Denver CO.

CampFire USA Paint Out, Paint Our Children's Future

Mountain Oyster Club, 41st Annual Western Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

 

2009: Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Exhibition, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WS

Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX?PAPNM Award, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Taos, NM Annual Paint Out

Mountain Oyster Club, Fortieth Annual Contemporary Western Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

Outdoor Painter Society, Plein Air Southwest Honorable Mention, Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX

Camp Fire USA, Second Annual Invitational Paint Out, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

 

2008: Awarded Signature Membership Status, Oil Painters of America

Artist in the Garden, Camp Fire USA Paint Out, 2nd place Johnston and Matthews Award of Excellence

Top 100, Paint the Parks, National Competition Paint America?17th Annual Oil Painters of America Exhibition of Traditional Oils, National Show, Missoula, MT.?23rd Annual Conservatory Art Classic, Clifton, TX ?National Small Oil Exhibit, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita Kansas,

 

2007: 16th Annual Oil Painters of America Exhibition of Traditional Oils, National Show, Fredericksburg, TX?Salon International 2007, San Antonio, TX : Jury’s Top Fifty Award.?Telluride Plein Air 2007, Telluride, CO?
 

 

2006: Oil Painters of America (OPA) 15th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Missoula, Montana?One Man Show, Fairmount Gallery, Dallas Texas?Silver Medal, Old Bank Gallery, 2 Annual Juried National Show, Ada, Ok?2nd Place, Oils/Acrylics, RCAS, 40th Annual Regional Show, Richardson, TX? Invited Artist, Paint Historic Manitou Springs, Plein Air Paint Out, Colorado

 

2005: PANM, Invitational Exhibition, Ventana Gallery, Santa Fe, NM?Top 100, Arts for the Parks, National Juried Competition?Mini 100, Arts for the Parks, National Juried Competition?Paint in the Park, Estes Park, CO.

 

Publications featured in:

“A Common Vision”, by Michael and Peggy Lewis, 2008

Vol.1, “Plein Air Painters of New Mexico”, Jack Richeson Publications, 2006

Statement:

Artist Statement:   I work in a representational style but endeavor to capture the essence of the subject rather than copying what Nature provides, I’m always seeking to edit and simplify.  My inspiration springs from the textures of the southwestern landscape.   I work in oil on linen mounted on hardboard.