A Brooklyn, NY native, Richard was first introduced to, and fell in love with art during many visits to the Brooklyn Museum.

His education and the career that followed focused, however, on the life sciences and medical research. An immunologist and medical educator he is currently a Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology and Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Center at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, University of Health Sciences; a busy and rewarding career, but all throughout Richard found the time to experiment with diverse media and create art.

 It was after taking an encaustic workshop at the Katonah Art Museum, that a new passion took hold and Richard  fell in love with this ancient medium – beeswax.

Birch hardwood panels, hand-made clay bowls, driftwood and other materials have become canvases for the molten beeswax and damar resin, pigments, shellac and a propane torch to create nature inspired art works.

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Artist Statement

My art translates the subject into whimsically mysterious, albeit, identifiable forms. The ancient painting medium — encaustics,  seduces me to be experimental and playful. Fire and wax dance to my music— orchestrated and serendipitous. My goal is to inspire those who see my work to look more creatively at the world around them, to discover beauty reflected in ordinary and treasured places and things in the world we all share.