Few art mediums are as elemental as clay, wood and pigment. Some artists transform these basic materials, intentionally hiding the intrinsic nature and the rawness from the observer. But Chris Richard creates works of art that never obscure the substance of the medium. Instead, he transforms those elemental things with a unique style and vision.

Now living on the bank of the Choptank River in Denton, MD, Chris grew up in New Jersey. His mother was a gifted artist — a sculptor who created realistic work in plasticine and later bronze. But it was a high school ceramics teacher and her husband, also a ceramics teacher, who patiently inspired Chris to explore the craft and develop an important early aesthetic.

After earning his master’s degree from Edinboro University in PA, he first considered teaching. But when a solo exhibition at a prestigious gallery unexpectedly sold out, Chris became a full-time studio artist, focusing on creating work for collectors.