“My true passion is creating fully rendered drawings using charcoal, graphite, and carbon. Drawings both expressive and intricate, rich in tonality and atmospheric depth, where the artist’s hand in unmistakably visible.”

Award Winning Artist Dean Richards, a native of the shores of Lake Bonaparte near the Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York State, finds continuous inspiration in his picturesque surroundings.  His childhood fascination with nature and wild places led him on the pathway of his early journey into creative expression.

Dean’s finished works are meticulously crafted using charcoal, graphite, and carbon on gessoed panels.  His objective is to create drawings that are both expressive and intricate, boasting rich tonality and atmospheric depth that equal fine paintings.  The surface texture plays a critical role in his artistic process, ranging from using large charcoal chunks to finely sharpened pencils, from loose expressionism to refined details.

While Dean’s primary focus has always been on wildlife and nature, he has also had the privilege of collaborating with the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army to create commissioned illustrations. This new subject matter opened up a completely uncharted and exciting direction for his artistic journey.

Throughout his career, Dean has participated in numerous national and international juried art exhibitions and has been honored with two major “One Person” exhibitions of his work. He has spoken widely to students and adults alike about his work and was featured in a WPBS documentary titled, “Dean Richards - Shades in Black and White”.

After a 15-year hiatus from the drawing table, Dean is now embarking on a new body of work, continuing to explore new ideas and challenging subject matter.