Growing up on a ranch in West Texas, Richard developed a love for drawing horses at an early age. He proceeded on to create an esteemed career as an artist, an educator, gallery owner and museum founder and is a signature member in the Oil Painters of America and the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters. Featured in this exhibit are many plein air paintings from his world travels with his patron and friend over an eleven-year period. He uses bold color with an impressionistic style to portray the landscapes and western history of the Yampa Valley, northwestern Colorado and the Little Snake River Valley.

​In addition, the Cole Verploeg Youth Gallery will feature portraits he painted in various media of his students during his 20-year teaching career in Steamboat at the high school during the day and Colorado Mountain College in the evenings. Included will be the work of his former students who have built creative careers of their own. This exhibit will be a testimony to the importance and contributions of strong art programs, educators, and cultural offerings to rural areas everywhere.

The exhibit will be featured at the Steamboat Art Museum Dec. 6, 2019 – April 11, 2020. A portion of the exhibit will travel to the Center for Contemporary Arts in Abilene, Texas for the month of May 2020, before returning to its permanent home at the Eastland Community Foundation in Eastland, Texas.