So many photos and so little time! Then why paint? If you are fortunate to travel and have a loving family, what becomes of all those memorable places, events and people that were deserving of a photograph? Most may lie dormant in an album while a few are so striking they make their way into a frame and are displayed.

For me the photograph is a preliminary step. There has to be an exceptional photo, capturing a moment in which the subject, composition, and lighting all contribute to its appeal. But for every one that meets these criteria hundreds of others lie resting in an album having failed to make the cut. A few await their turn, having been prioritized and assigned a position in the que, hopefully, to be interpreted another day. Painting simply takes the artistic process to another, and I feel, more demanding level of expression.

A Rhode Island resident since 1985 Richard made a transition from the oils and acrylics he employed on an easel in his parent’s Brooklyn, N.Y. kitchen to water colors for practical reasons: it’s hard to maintain an easel and supplies in a limited space you share with family or subsequently classmates in a college dorm. Watercolors were a more reasonable approach with a growing family and active medical practice. The skills developed to practice Diagnostic Radiology, including perspective, depth, and spatial resolution apply equally to both visual arts and image interpretation. It is also rewarding to have practiced two forms of art each of which contributes to health and well being. I enjoy painting a variety of subjects based on quality photographs, mostly my own, of people, places, and things. Using an exacting process details in a photo are captured and transferred to paper, fixed to prevent smudging, and then painted. The time devoted to a particular piece varies depending on its size, composition, and complexity. In summary: photograph, plan, paper, pencil, paint.