The Southwest Voice

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How did his desire to learn painting land Richard Geissel in Germany?  Let’s back up a bit.  Richard was encouraged to draw as a child and as a young adult  enjoyed working with pen and ink and took occasional classes.  That could have been the extent of his art career except for a short visit to the coast one day.  Richard saw some incredible paintings on display in a local store and asked about the artist.  When he discovered the artist lived nearby, Richard called on him and inquired about  lessons.  That was the beginning of a student/mentor relationship which would continue for years.

Richard drove from Bakersfield to the coast on a regular basis absorbing as much as he could from this gifted teacher until the teacher moved to Germany.  Richard was determined to continue his lessons and made two separate trips to Germany to continue his training.  That training has paid off many times over.  Richard has sold hundreds of paintings throughout his career and has paintings in private collections throughout the United States and Europe.

When you see his paintings on display at the Gallery of Art, you might assume Richard is a full-time artist--but that is not the case.  He currently works as a piping designer and only paints in his spare time.

Richard works primarily in acrylics and among his favorite subjects to paint are local business signs.  He has won numerous awards. He entered the Kern County Fair five times and walked away with five awards.  He once sold a 12” X 16” painting of an oil field pumping unit for $600.  As they say, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”!

Richard told me he paints for relaxation and enjoyment and encourages anyone who can be persistent to give it a try.  The next time you are in the area, stop by the Gallery of Art at the East Hills Mall and take at look at his unique artwork.