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About Richard Sparks
Richard Sparks (b. 1944) is an American artist and illustrator whose distinguished career has spanned fine art, portraiture, editorial illustration, and commissioned work for some of the nation's most prominent institutions and publications.
Born in Texas, Sparks earned a degree in architecture from Texas A&M, before he was awarded a scholarship to ArtCenter College of Design in California, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration with Distinction. He often says his favorite accomplishment there, however, was meeting his wife, artist Barbara, to whom he has been married for 58 years.
Sparks relocated to Connecticut when his work attracted commissions from major New York periodicals and publishing houses, establishing him as a sought-after contributor to the world of editorial illustration. His clients included: Forbes (cover), Sports Illustrated, Boy's Life (cover), Redbook, House Beautiful, Reader's Digest, MBI and Easton Press.
Sparks created a number of commissioned portraits for TIME, including five covers, depicting some of the most influential figures of his era. These works are now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The collection includes his portraits of Mstislav Rostropovich, Menachem Begin, Woody Allen, François Mitterrand, and Pope John Paul II.
Sparks' work has found its way into the permanent collections of numerous distinguished institutions and organizations, including Harvard Club of New York City, ExxonMobil, Texas A&M University, Time-Life, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, the National Archives, Seattle Opera, and the Academy of Art College in San Francisco.
Sparks' art has also reached a broad public audience through reproduction as limited-edition prints, posters, and United States postage stamps, extending his work far beyond the walls of galleries and private collections.
Today, Sparks' work reflects the nostalgia of his Texas roots and life on "the farm," his time in California and in the High Desert, and his most recent experiences, raising his family on the Connecticut coast.
To view Spark's paintings and to read more, visit our online gallery.
Gallery Location & Hours
Geary Gallery is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is located at 576 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820. For more information, call (203) 655-6633 or visit our website: www.gearygallery.com.
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