Linda Holmes Richichi

Artist Profile

Linda Richichi (Pronounced Ră chē chē)

FEEL THE ENERGY

Not to be defined by any one genre, international artist, Linda Richichi, has one constant theme through all of her work: She invites us to join her and be awakened. Frame after frame, paintings and pastels offer their voices, filling the room with a cacophony of sound. Linda’s exhibitions stand in amazing witness to her intensity. Canvasses line the walls – moments translated into energetic colors. Throughout the body of her work, Linda masterly orates a variety of subjects: landscapes are alive and incarnate, lively abstracts in her Transformation Collection celebrate life’s joyous process, and each painting in the Wellness Collection encourages us to fully claim our healing power.

“Some days I am pulled to paint in nature "en Plein Air" (in open air). With the sun at my back I connect to the energy, the spirit of the land. This energy is depicted in my works through marks, squiggles and vibrant colors that capture the mood of the moment. . When I can feel the same amount of energy within when viewing a completed piece that I felt outdoors, then I’m very satisfied.”

Her work is featured in the World Tour of Contemporary Landscape Artists titled “Far and Near Horizons” run by the International Plein Air Painters and Landscape Artists International. This exhibit travels throughout North America and internationally, heralding its theme of global stewardship through art. In our recent interview, the artist shared her feelings about the exhibit, “The mission of the tour is to act as a bridge between countries of the world to foster environmental awareness. The art on the canvas becomes a universal language and acts as an ambassador to different cultures. Art is an experience, bringing us together.”

For galleries hosting “Far and Near Horizons” click on “World Tour Artist” at www.LindaRichichi.com.

“For me, painting is a pilgrimage into the deepest reaches of my soul where I can connect to our creative source. I hope my work leads the way for others to awaken to all that life offers.”

Linda Richichi has exhibited extensively, including the prestigious National Arts Club in New York. Her work is in private, public, government and museum collections around the world, as well as many corporate collections. It is featured in several healing centers, with an entire collection located in the Rowley Birthing Center of Orange Regional Medical Center in the Hudson Valley of New York. She was featured in the International Artist Magazine in 2005, under Master Painters of the World.

Linda has taught painting for many years and has conducted workshops in Tuscany and Paris. She is completing her first CD series for non-artists titled, “Draw Out Greatness” – Use Your Doodles to Allow Your Creative Potential to Soar.”

Each work by Linda Richichi is its own universe and part of a larger truth. To own a collection or even one painting is to partake in a meditation of the possible and to participate fully in Linda Richichi’s passion. She is represented by Fieldstone Fine Art in Ramsey, New Jersey, Bau Gallery in Beacon, NY, Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor, WI and Icehouse Gallery, McIntosh, FL or you may visit her website at www.LindaRichichi.com.

- Mary Agnes Vetell

“Her evocative plein air paintings express an intense response to observed nature, while her dynamic abstractions reflect a passionate energy and masterful sense of form.” – From Dennis Wepman, Art Curator of Karpeles Museum.

Award winning artist Linda Richichi was born in Montgomery, NY. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from SUNY New Paltz and years of study with many modern masters. In 1999 Richichi received a scholarship from the Pastel Society of America to attend the Art Students League in New York City. Her studies continued under Albert Handell’s mentoring program in Taos, New Mexico. She was included in the International Artist Magazine under Master Painters of the World, Pastel Showcase in the Jan. 2005 issue. In the June 2006 issue, Linda’s exhibit at the RiverWinds Gallery was critiqued favorably and written up by art critic Raymond J. Steiner, ART TIMES. In Sept. 2006 Richichi was awarded the Best of Show Ontario Purchase Award, at the International Plein Air Painters (I.P.A.P.) Fourth Worldwide Paint Out at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The award winning painting now hangs in the Ontario, Canada City Hall.

Richichi has exhibited extensively including the prestigious National Arts Club in New York City with the Pastel Society of America, a solo exhibit at the Karpeles Library Manuscript Museum in Newburgh, NY and her work has traveled recently around the US and Canada. Linda attends several national invitational plein air events during each year. Her work is in private and corporate collections internationally. She was recently commissioned by Mercedes Benz Corporation. The Rowley Birthing Center at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, NY commissioned Richichi for an entire collection. Her work is traveling with the World Tour Exhibition titled “Far and Near Horizons” which includes work of 20 Contemporary Landscape Artists selected from the International Plein Air Painters and the Landscape Artists InternationaI organizations who act as stewards of the land. Richichi was the artist - in - residence at the SUNY Orange at the Newburgh Extension in 2008 where she was able to have a view of the Hudson River much like early Hudson River painters.

Richichi has conducted workshops in the US, Italy, Australia and Paris, France. Saatchi Gallery in London, England invited Richichi to exhibit work on their website. Linda worked closely with the Hudson Valley Materials Exchange when they began showcasing artist’s work with materials that were rescued from disposal from local businesses. She is represented by Fieldstone Fine Art in Ramsey, NJ, Woodwalk Gallery in WI, Icehouse Gallery in McIntosh, FL and Bau Gallery in Beacon, NY. She also shows in various galleries in the Hudson Valley Region regularly. For the location of upcoming exhibits go to www.LindaRichichi.com .

_____________Linda Richichi_____________

IPAP, NYPAP

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

Peninsula Link Gallery , Fish Creek, WI - 2008

Estes Park Gallery, Estes Park CO - 2008

Terrace Gallery, Orlando, FL – Sept .08- Jan. 09

St. Augustine Gallery, St. Augustine, FL , World Tour Exhibit- Sept. 07

Red Eft Gallery, Wurtsboro, NY – August 2007

Pennisula Art School Invitational Plein Air Paint Out, Door County, Wisconsin – July 2007

Karpeles Museum – Inaugural World Tour Exhibit of Far and Near Horizons- June 2007

NY Art Expo- March 2007

A.G. Ewards & Sons Gallery- Rhinebeck, NY- 2006, 2007

Riverwinds Gallery , Beacon, NY 2002 -present

Edgewater Exhibit, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada- IPAP Exhibit - 2006

Mark Gruber Gallery, New Paltz, NY - Winter and spring exhibits- 2007

Windaham Gallery, Windham, NY -2006

Art Forms Gallery- Red Bank, NJ - 2004- present (ongoing)

Museum of the Hudson Highlands, Cornwall, NY –three person show- 2005, Group in 2001, 2002, 2003,

Port of Call Gallery- Warwick, NY - Two Person Show- 2004

Howland Cultural Center- Beacon, NY - Hudson Valley Pastel Society - 2003

Bertoni Gallery- Sugarloaf, NY - Small Works Show -2003, 2006

Everart museum, Scranton, PA - Everart Museum Jurors - 2003

Albert Shahinian Fine Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY - Bannerman’s Island Show - 2002

Artery fine arts gallery, Milford, PA - 2002 - 2004

Ridgewood Art Institute, Ridgewood, NJ - Members Show -2002

Ringwood Manor, Ringwood, NJ - 2002

Orange County Art Federation Show - Lycian Centre, Sugarloaf, NY-2002

Stewart International Airport, New Windsor, NY- 2002

Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY- Contemporary Landscape show- 2000

National Arts Club, NYC, NY, Pastel Society of America- juried show-1999

SELECTED COLLECTIONS:

Mercedes Benz Corporation- NJ

Ontario City Hall, Ontario, CANADA

Orange County Community College, Middletown, NY

Orange County Government Center, Goshen, NY

Orange Regional Medical Center, Middletown, NY

St. Lukes Cornwall Hospital, Newburgh, NY

Mr. & Mrs. Tompkins , Kingwood , TX

Mr. & Mrs. Orr, North Hampton, MA

RX-Success, Inc., Parkland, FL

Mr. Schlosser, CA

Harness Racing Museum, Goshen, NY

Bill& Ellen Harrow, NYC, NY

S. Cockburn, Montgomery, NY

Mr. & Mrs. Carretta, Tranquility, NJ

Neil Caplan, Beacon, NY

P. Martin, Washington, DC

Mr. O”Connell, Sharon, CT

Rennaissance Cruise Lines, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl

Mr. & Mrs. Rutberg, Cheshire, CN

Mr. &Mrs. Tompkins, Colchester, VT

Mr. & Mrs. Bojman, Dallas, TX

Mr. Kates, Wyndmoor, PA

Mary Beth Maudsley, Appleton, WI

Mr. & Mrs. Wahl, Arlington Heights, WI

SOLO EXHIBITS:

2006 -River Winds Gallery, Beacon, NY

2006- Karpeles Museum, Newburgh, NY

2005, 2006 Whitecliff Vineyard Gallery, Gardiner,NY

2001, 2002, 2004 Executive Suite Gallery , Goshen , NY

2000- FCC Gallery, New Windsor, NY

1999 - Montgomery Gallery, Montgomery, NY

SELECTED AWARDS:

Edgewater Exhibit, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada- IPAP* Exhibit – Best of Show , Ontario- 2006

Everart museum, Scranton, PA - Everart Museum Jurors -Artistic Merit Award - 2003

Arts Alliance –Cornwall, NY - Belskie Museum Jurors, 1st Place Pastels -2003

Orange County Art Federation, Washingtonville, Sugarloaf, NY - BEST OF SHOW -2001, 2000.

Arts alliance, Cornwall, NY - First Place Pastel- 2002

Middletown Art Group Members Show, Middletown, NY- Awards of Excellence- 2002,1999

Lycian centre gallery, Sugar Loaf, NY - Warwick Art League Show; 1999 Best of Show

Scholarship to the Art Students League - Awarded by the Pastel Society of America-1999

Mt. St. Mary College, Newburgh, NY - First Place Mixed Media-1999

GALLERIES:

FIELDSTONE FINE ARTS, RAMSEY , NJ

WOODWALK GALLERY, EGG HARBOR, WI

ICEHOUSE GALLERY, McINTOSH, FL

BAU GALLERY, BEACON, NY

PUBLICATIONS, INVITATIONAL PAINTING EXHBITIONS, WORKSHOPS, CRITIQUES:

Art Times Journal , crtique by Raymond J. Steiner - June 2006

International Artist Magazine- Linda Holmes Richichi , Pastel, “wetlands with Loosestrife”

Master Painters of the world, pastel showcase section - Dec./Jan. 2005 issue

Tuscany Plein Air Workshop- Tuscany region of Italy, Paris, France - 2004, 2005, 2007

Windham Gallery invitational Paint Out, Windham, NY – 2006 (2007 –Was IN ITALY)

Penninsula Art School and Gallery in WI- invitational Paint out – 2007, 2008

Rye Arts Center, Rye , NY - Invitational Paint Out 2007, 2008, 2009

Florida’s Eden, Gainesville, FL - Invitational Paint Out 2008, (INVITED 2009)

MEMBERSHIPS PAST AND PRESENT :

Signature Member of the International Plein Air Painters

Signature Member of the New York Plein Air Painters

Juried Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America

Founding member of the portrait Society of America

Charter Member of Landscape Artists International

Plein air florida, member

North Florida Pastel Society

* IPAP- International Plein Air Painters

Linda Richichi, IPAP

Artist Statement

For me, painting is a pilgrimage — a journey into the mystery of creation and, through that sacred path, ultimately a journey into the deepest reaches of my soul. If in my painting I am successful in reaching my goal, then I see it as a bridge into you.

Whether I am painting in the breathtaking Hudson Valley, near Tuscan castles, or on a sun-drenched beach in Maui, my intent is to capture the underlying brilliance — the spiritual energy — that underlies all of nature. At this point of my development, painting en plein air, absorbed into nature’s grand silence of communication, with all of my senses acting as ready receptors to whatever might be presented to me, seems to most further my mission of discovery. Painting in nature has heightened my awareness of the need to take care of this sacred ground.

With intuition leading the way, I avoid focusing on details to allow for a total immersion of self into the “greater” self that surrounds me. Slowly, the world of form and color merges and shifts, separates and impresses, the whole dissolving into an insistent mood of pure energy. It is this distillation of both what is seen and not seen that I attempt to capture on my canvas. When a mixture of color and form resonates in my being, when I feel that I am at one with nature and that my painting is reflecting that union, then I feel a sense of spiritual awakening. The magic is there and the painting is complete.

The materials I select are those that leave the least amount of waste behind. The Mini Circles Collection are painted with the new Golden Open Acrylics on wooden disks that were saved by the Hudson Valley Materials Exchange in New Paltz, NY from going into the waste stream. I am always on the lookout for products that are of the highest quality and green.

As founder of the World Tour of Contemporary Landscape Artists, it was my intention that this group act as stewards of the land as well as the art acting as a bridge between countries. An upcoming book will feature the works of the special places these artists have selected

In the end, it is my hope that through my painting I have passed along a respect and love of our land and the need to take care of her.