Richard Powers - Landscape, Wildlife, Impressionism, Sculpture

Six generations back, Florida was a place of abundant wildlife, citrus, cattle, cypress swamps and undeveloped coastlines. Richard Powers’ family was there then. He paints it now. His great-grandfather William Jackson Rhymes made cow whips. His father Earl provided “treasured moments in the woods and on the water.” Those boyhood scenes made their way to canvas when his parents bought his first paint set in 1967. He served four years in the United States Navy. He graduated from Florida Southern College in 1975 with a BA in Accounting. For a decade, he was employed by legendary citrus and cattleman, Ben Hill Griffin.

Citrus currently plays a role in his career. President of CitraSource, Niv BenYehuda, related,  “When I met Rick at an art reception, I told him about a crazy idea I had to start an artist’s community. Rick lit up like a Christmas tree and said, you’re on! I asked him to bring me a list of artists. He brought over 70 names quickly.”   

Powers is one of three in the creative pool at Arts Ensemble International. Powers shared, “I struck up a friendship with Niv. His wife, Karen is an artist. He understands how artists struggle. He asked if I was a dreamer. I am. I can dream big. But I still have to pinch myself every morning to make sure it’s real. Niv made many things possible. It’s hard for me to get up from a painting and start back on it later. Here at Arts Ensemble, I can work on one painting from early morning until the afternoon.”

Powers cited heritage for his sense of urgency to create. “I want to preserve Florida’s history for the future. The Florida I grew up with is gone. Some is still untouched, but less and less. Some of my paintings are from memory. Some are from photographs. I just love art and paint what I love.” His talent is an enigma, as he lost the vision in his left eye. The compensation on canvas is remarkable. 

His vision of underwater Florida is clear as well. Paintings of fish are from unique perspectives. A snook lunges out from a grassy saltwater bottom with head prominent in the foreground and tail diminishing toward the background. Cruisin’, a painting of a Redfish is similar. One of his marlin paintings depicts the game fish underwater swimming away. His head is turned back as if he sees the viewer. “People ask me if I’m a SCUBA diver. The fish appear as if I was looking through a mask, but I’m not a diver. I just imagine what they’d look like.”

The Sarasota Sportsmen Association, use snook paintings for fund raisers. One of his murals graces the wall at Winter Haven’s Cypress Cafe. The Fort Meade Historical society boasts of the same as does Cracker Country at Tampa’s Florida State Fairgrounds. This award winner’s wearable art can be purchased, too. Powers described, “We use a process called sublimation. It impregnates the material and insures the image won’t crack or fade.”

Though our state wildlife may be fading, Powers remains undaunted in keeping the memory of forgotten Florida alive. “I have a love for teaching. I’ve taught people of all ages and skill levels. I want to pass on what I’ve learned.” He is translating a tradition afforded him by Robert Butler, mentor and friend, and another renowned wildlife artist. “I met Robert in 1989 and all but begged for private lessons. He didn’t give them, but we became friends and painted together a long time.” Among other influences and friends cited were Tom Freeman, Thomas Brooks, John Seerey-Lester and wife, Suzy.

Powers showed a recent painting of horses and gave credit to modern artist Buddy Sears for guidance. “I was going to cut the legs off the horses in this  painting but Buddy saved them! I made the painting larger and I like it better. He also challenges me to try new things.”

But old things remain the focus of another new project with Patrick Smith, famed author of “A Land Remembered”. It encompasses more than one hundred years of Florida history. Powers humbly shared, “I’m doing a series of paintings based on the book. Patrick is gracious enough to write something to go with each painting. They’ll be available as prints. ” If you can’t wait for those, Powers accepts commissions to turn photographs of your favorite Florida scene to paintings. Though he currently spends much time inside at Arts Ensemble, he is still painting what is and was outside the studio walls; nature.  

Article by Mary Joye
Special thanks to Today & Tonight Magazine