Richard Wilson

Born in Wichita, Kansas in 1944, Richard Wilson received his B.A. in 1967 and M.A. in 1968 from California State University, San Jose. Known for his vast, atmospheric canvases, Wilson mingles elements of hard edge abstraction together with intuitive coloristic impulses for his abstract “landscapes,” distilled to the essentials of space and light.

In the artist’s own words: “My work is informed by a kind of equilibrium between what I see as ‘human nature’ and ‘landscape nature.’ Therefore I use rectilinear / architectural form combined with light, color and atmospheric effects.” This melding of formal and romantic considerations has produced paintings acclaimed for their range of subtle, yet remarkable optical effects. Wilson is further known for his meticulously stretched canvases and measured compositions, which bring a sense of serenity to his geometric forms and undulating lines.

A Professor Emeritus at Shasta College, Wilson lives and works in Redding, California and has been a guest lecturer at such institutions as the Monterey Museum of Art (Monterey, CA); Claremont Graduate University (Claremont, CA); University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA); and Cabrillo College (Aptos, CA). Work by Wilson is found in such institutions as the Ball State University Museum of Art (Muncie, IN), Downey Art Museum (Downey, CA), Redding Museum and Art Center (Redding, CA), and San Jose Museum of Art (San Jose, CA), among other public and private collections.