How did you get started and then develop your career?
Richard Boyer: Way back in grammar school the art teacher must have noticed something because every year she put together an art box filled with supplies and hand delivered it to me during class. Then, in high school, I sold my first painting at an art street festival, a painting of the Andromeda Galaxy for a hundred dollars and there was no going back after that, I was hooked!
I went to the University of Utah and studies portrait painting under an English professor, then started knocking on gallery doors. They told me they were not looking for any new artists and don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
Years later as one gallery owner put it, “I only really consider artists after they have painting 10,000 works.” Well, I guess I did and finally got into my first gallery.
How do you describe success?
Richard Boyer: Success in my book is more or less making a living from your artistic endeavors. The bottom line is you as an artist need to pay the bills and support yourself and the family. Easier said than done I know. How many times do you get knocked down, brush off the dust and hit it all again. Maybe this describes the successful artist, that blind determination to keep trying until you get it right!
You begin to treat it as a 9 to 5 job, getting up every morning and putting in the hours painting. The nice thing being that after a while you will notice yourself getting better and better at your endeavors.
To see more of Richard’s work, visit:
Instagram: richard_boyer370
