Richard Blair
Richard is a San Francisco Bay Area multi-disciplinary artist who works as a photographer, writer, and publisher. He is inspired by both the natural world and the human landscapes of cities. An observer of people and their surroundings, he reacts quickly to create meaning from happenstance. With his technical knowledge he can effectively use photographic tools to achieve a desired result.
He was Park Photographer for the National Park Service based in Yosemite Valley. He received an award from the Secretary of the Interior for photography of a rescue of El Capitan.
Blair photographs with both digital and film, from 35 to 8x10 size negatives. He works in both black and white and color, and exhibits his much of his work through the medium of photographic books, which he designs, publishes, and prints. Here is a link to the book catalog.
Richard Blair’s work has been exhibited in the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Peabody Museum at Yale, Kaiser Hospitals, the Packard Foundation, the Oakland Museum, the Bolinas Museum, the Palace of the Legion of Honor in SF, and recently in the SF Museum of Modern Art Thirty seven of Blair’s images were shown at the Asian Art Museum, in San Francisco as part of the exhibit: Bali: Art, Ritual, Performance.
He and his partner and wife, Kathleen Goodwin, share a studio at 371 Drakes View Drive, Inverness Park.
Here is a recent interview questionnaire Richard answered for the Bolinas Museum. Elia Haworth, Curator of Coastal Marin Art & History wrote the questions for an artist spotlight the museum is featuring. Bolinas Museum is posting these stories and images on Instagram. Their website is bolinasmuseum.org. The Bolinas Museum is at 48 Wharf Road, in Bolinas, CA. Richard thought that you might find it interesting to read about him and his work.
Apr 18, 2020
Is there a particular work of art that is an inspiration to you? If so, what?
My photography heroes include many great ones, but a image and caption by Dorothy Lange stands out, for the use of the caption to amplify the meaning of the print. Here is the image: Funeral Cortege, End of an Era. in a Small Valley Town, California 1938
What creative project are you currently working on?
Since I am an older artist, I’m using the Internet to display my work in a distilled way. I continue to photograph landscapes almost every day, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.
Do you have any rituals related to your creative practice?
Photographic rituals are many. I wish I could say ‘click’ and the image would be saved, but in practice a lot of tools must be assembled and carried, and some thought given. When I am working a certain level of concentration and happiness can happen which I am very proud to experience. Sometimes it is a cosmic thrill to get an image that takes much skill, reflexes, and lady luck.
Who has been instrumental in supporting your art practice?
Kathleen Goodwin
What role does community play in your creativity
Not too much the Point Reyes community as a whole, individuals here, yes. My community is the world of fine art photography. Other artists, museums, certainly serious art publications are the community I work for in my head. Image makers are influenced by the deluge of media around them.
How does coastal Marin or the Bay Area influence you as an artist?
It is the canvas that I use, plus the Bay Area is a hot pot of genius, nice to tap into if I can grok it.
What do you turn to for inspiration?
Music is always big, especially jazz. Always looking for amazing...
What has your studio practice taught you about the kind of person you are?
Slothful perhaps! My sister and Kathleen say that I work hard, but I wish that I could have done more.
What are you reading, listening to, and/or cooking that are comforting during this time?
I cook out of Bon Appitit magazine, listening to music via Apple Music, and I read the NY Times a lot - when I can stand it. Herman Hesse had the right idea with sheltered art communities in times of evil.
How is COVID-19 affecting your creative process and your art?
Actually for me it has been great to be forced to concentrate on studio chores. I am grateful for the deep time. It is sort of a reversion to a younger past, when there seemed to be space to dig into things.
Why is living with art in our homes important for our daily lives?
I have a simple answer: It is being human to live with art, and inhuman not to.
What is one lesson you have learned from life?
I’ll defer this answer to my now-deceased friend Sandy Jacobs, then a 90 year old artist from Inverness. He said, “the only thing I have learned in my whole life is to have the sun warm my skin when I get up.”
What is one of the lessons you’ve learned from life?
Work hard, don’t get hurt.
When did art come into your life?
I was always the class artist, at 5 years old I was mass-producing drawings of steam-shovels.
What do you draw strength and reassurance from?
My mother and father. She was a great fighter for justice, and he was a total genius, a poet, and Mr. Mellow.