Richard Graff was born in South Africa and moved to the USA over 30 years back. He is now a retired Arizona resident. He has been painting for about 3 months.
My architectural education has always tethered me to creative projects, ranging from graphic design, furniture design, and door design.
I have many sources of inspiration but I am particularly motivated by the element of surprise. I do not aspire to a particular style. I enjoy the freedom of being unrestricted and guided solely by the mood I am in at the moment I apply paint to canvas.
Music is my muse. My process is absolutely meditative.
Hi Richard, your art is great even though you’ve started painting recently. What inspired you to start painting, do you remember the exact moment?
Richard: Throughout my life, I’ve always had the need to be creative whether it be through architecture, graphic design, or furniture design. For the past decade I had somewhat translated that creative passion into my business consulting endeavors, specifically, Appreciative Inquiry – a positive change in business. But I pined for the visual creativity. As with most of the rest of the world, COVID-19 had unexpected consequences on my life plans and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to immerse myself into a new challenge, namely painting. Painting has become my companion. Painting is my connection to myself.
You say you are motivated by the element of surprise. Could you tell me more about that?
Richard: Whenever I start a painting if I inadvertently have a preconceived idea of the outcome, I deliberately
work on removing those expectations. I discovered, early on, that the intent of my painting, is to indulge in a freedom of expression and not to deliver a self-declared perfect piece of art. Therefore, I am driven by the element of surprise and that approach allows me to be totally non-judgmental throughout the entire process. For me, there is little to zero satisfaction of painting within the confines of expectations. Surprise = energy.
Could you walk us through your process? How much planning do you do before you jump into creating an artwork? If you do, what are you trying to solve at each stage of it?
Richard: While I am often intimidated by unchartered blank canvases, the only structure I impose is the size of
the canvas, and to a lesser extent, a color palette, both of which are spontaneous decisions. Whether I am just starting a painting or in a period of “stuckness” while in the midst of a particular piece, I liken the anticipation to jumping into an ice bath – extreme hesitation – once in, however, I need to keep moving to stay warm.
What artists influenced you the most and why?
Richard: I am less influenced by artists than I am inspired. The artists that I either follow or refer to have compelling life-stories, are typically quite altruistic, and have personal values that I admire. One contemporary artist, for example, whose style is completely different to that of mine, but has been an immense inspiration, is Callen Schaub (Instagram – ). His story is pure with admirable intentions. I am also inspired by architects and architecture with an appreciation of their philosophical approach to design and the incredible outcomes. Some of those include Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Frank Gehry. And of course, one of my many favorite artists, Henri Matisse. I admire his bold non-conformist conviction and his challenge to the status quo at the time of his painting career.
Do you have a real-life situation that inspired your artwork?
Richard: Life, in general, inspires my artwork. I have always been an evangelist for positivity. I believe we have
abilities to discover the light in the darkness. We often miss amazing opportunities because our “awareness muscles” are not well developed. I try to bring that energy and curiosity to my paintings. It is one of the main reasons I so enjoy abstract painting. Abstract creation continuously changes, infinitely, even after the paintings are complete. I deliberately strive for movement, a little bit of chaos, some calm and focus. A parallel to my real life.
How do you keep your ideas fresh?
Richard: That is a difficult question for me to answer. I feel that each of my paintings are so different, although
there are similarities in certain elements. My mood and state of mind before and during a painting determine how I apply the paint to canvas. Music plays a significant part in my creative process. Music often determines my energy and the journey that follows. Each painting has a plethora of new ideas. Each painting is an experiment. With no risk. Let’s remember it’s only painting.
What was the most recent piece you’ve enjoyed working on, and why?
Richard: That’s like asking which of my two kids I love most. There is no answer to that. I typically work on only
one piece at a time so the most recent piece or the piece that has the wettest paint is usually at top of my mind. As long as each progressive painting feels like I am learning something new, I enjoy each piece as much as them all.
What’s the most challenging part of your artistic process? And how do you overcome it?
Richard: I have multiple artistic challenges. I actually don’t know if I will ever overcome them, but that’s ok. For example, I am still building the confidence to declare a painting “complete”. I consider myself an eternal student and there are many times that I get impatient with myself for not having the depth of knowledge I strive for. Nevertheless, I have generalized solutions that keep me going, namely, to let go (more), to accept where I am (now), and most importantly, to respect this journey I have embarked upon.
What is the best way to reach people that are interested in your art?
Richard: For now, I can be reached via Instagram, , and Direct Messaging. One of my immediate projects, in addition to increasing my inventory, is to create my art website. Stay posted. I’ll announce it on Instagram when the time comes.
What’s the coolest art tip you’ve ever received?
Richard: The coolest tip that I have internalized recently is: “Be your own boss” – this tip is thanks to an artist I
truly admire – Jodie King (Instagram – ). Jodie paints and does life according to Jodie’s rules. I appreciate her generosity with respect to sharing her knowledge and experiences, but mostly I applaud her honesty.
What’s next for Rich?
Richard: My ultimate goal is to establish some form of a foundation whereby the proceeds from all the
art I sell are donated to non-profit organizations that help the underserved. I believe this would accomplish a win-win and win again scenario – people who purchase my art would know that the proceeds are helping those in need, they would enjoy the art, hopefully, and I would feel purpose-filled knowing that I am contributing to helping others.
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Thank you!