tom richard

the last three years: trump, corona, & bubble gum

A VIRTUAL FIRST WEDNESDAY RECEPTION WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 2 BEGINNING AT 6:30 PM (CST) LIVE ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.

THE GALLERY WILL BE OPEN DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS (TU - SU, 12PM - 6PM) FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS UNDER 25 PEOPLE. SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKS ARE REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE GALLERY.

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Artist Statement
“This exhibition at Baton Rouge Gallery consists of three different series worked upon for the last three years: “You’re Fired” (Trump), “Corona Virus & LSU 2019 Championship Season” (Corona), and “Bubble Gum on Art Series” (Bubble Gum).
Each series reflect upon issues of history, making history, and the present by combining planned acts of painting with spontaneous processes that allow the viewer to move, conceptually, from whimsy to dread.” - Richard

Trump

“You’re Fired” sketchbook, coloring books, painting

2018 – 2019

Idea: Make a collaged sketchbook “You’re Fired” of the 2nd year of the Trump presidency
Research: Search the Timeline of the Trump Presidency using Wikipedia. Make a list of key events, situations, and happenings to locate interesting images. Discover the number of Trump ‘s administrative dismissals and resignations.
Revised Idea: Make a collaged sketchbook noting the dismissals and resignations of the Trump Administration’s Staff.
Research - part 2: Search for images of the yellow dress from the movie, “Walk of Shame”. Description: Meghan, Elizabeth Banks, is an aspiring news anchor in the cutthroat world of Los Angeles television. After an audition for her dream job ends in failure, she goes out for an uncharacteristic night of partying. The next morning, she awakes in a stranger's bed and hears a phone message from her agent telling her the job is hers if she can make it across town by 5:00 pm. Stranded in an unknown area without money, phone or transportation, she races to the most important interview of her life. (Google)
ReRevised Idea: Make a collaged sketchbook that chronologically chronicles the first two years of the Trump Administration based upon dismissals or resignations of staff that were directly under the auspices of the president.
Plan: Establish Rules:
Rule: The “fired” are presented chronologically relative to dismissal date.
Rule: The head “fits” on the body.
Rule: Other images are based upon composition and are topical.
Rule: There must be a reason to turn the page.
Rule: The sketchbook “reads” as a book.
Additional Idea: Make black and white copies of the sketchbook to become a coloring book.
Additional Idea (alter): Make a painting/drawing based upon one spread of the sketchbook.

Corona

Corona Virus & LSU 2019 Championship Season

2020

This series was made during the isolation caused by the pandemic, and reflects upon “better” times of the previous year. Each of the 15 pieces represents a different game from the 2019 LSU football season.
Using the same compositional image of COVID-19, each piece begins with an under-painting of the specific opponent’s colors, (the corona virus being that team’s primary color, and the space being that team’s secondary color). Then LSU’s purple and gold (yellow) are painted over each piece in a similar manner and in similar spaces. The individual pieces are organized from left to right, top to bottom sequentially based upon the date of the specific football game.
- Geaux Tigers! (Coach O)

Bubble Gum

Bubble Gum on Art Series

2021 -2022

The Bubble Gum on Art Series consists of small paintings depicting illusionistic bubble gum painted over images that were removed from older editions of art history textbooks, which depict those artworks in black and white.
The painted bubble gum masks a prominent part of the composition (which could be the primary focal point, but in some cases, is the secondary or tertiary) to hint at a transformation—from black & white to color, appropriation to original, high to low, masking to potential, and serious to whimsy.
They are arranged, or grouped, according to bubble gum coverings that are “alike” or are similar.

This exhibition is presented alongside the latest works from Randell Henry, Kathleen Lemoine, & Steve Schmidt. All works from these artists are on view, free of charge, during normal gallery hours (12 - 6 p.m., Tue - Sun) from February 1st - 24th.