Richard Abarno
“My primary philosophy is that my art should be positive, joyful, and make people smile”
My name is Richard Abarno, and I am a sculptor.
From a very young age, I have been working with my hands—drawing, making Christmas ornaments, toy cars, toy guns, painting my bike—things of that nature. Yet despite my leanings toward art, I did not think of being an artist. The prevailing thought at that time was if you become an artist, you will starve. Thus, after high school, I worked in my father’s toy store. I then trained and worked as a draftsman, which, despite being quite boring, at least allowed me to draw images on paper. Working as a draftsman also got me thinking about going to art school despite the warnings of a life of starvation. However, my plans were changed with a notice from the draft board that read: Welcome to the U.S. Army.
After being honorably discharged, I decided to finally go to art school, and attended Parsons School of Design. This decision was a pivotal moment in my art journey, as it was my first training and exposure to the art world. Parsons showed me that there is a whole world dedicated to creation. After I graduated, I worked in graphic design and made exhibit designs for a multitude of trade shows. From there, I worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the designing department.
But between my graphic design and my freelance work, I felt the need for a new adventure, and so I turned to photography. Working in advertising and corporate photography allowed me to travel quite a bit, as I photographed everything from bank presidents and annual reports to factories and companies across America.
In 1990, my wife and I moved to Durango, Colorado where I continued doing photography and restarted my illustration. Seeking a new direction with my art, I was inspired to start a rubber stamp company after reading the magazine Rubber Stamp Madness. The magazine advertised and spotlighted companies who were making art through their rubber stamps. I saw this as a unique opportunity to take my previous pen and ink drawings and turn them into something new. After compiling a bunch of my drawings and creating a catalogue, I officially started my rubber stamp company—F.C. Bumpers & Company. Once I ran an ad in Rubber Stamp Madness, the orders came pouring in. I ran F.C. Bumpers for about three years until I was bought out by a larger stamp company. I continued to do my drawings for them, now free from the problems of manufacturing, billing, and shipping.
About seven years later, my wife and I moved back to Rhode Island and I eased out of photography, which I had continued throughout my rubber stamp adventure. After forty years, I felt that it was time to move on. I have no idea why I then decided to experiment with sculpture. Perhaps it was the influence from my dad’s toy store, or a desire to turn my previous illustrations three dimensional. I dove into the world of sculpture with no real training, and my first piece was a woman with a fish on a leash. It sold quickly, which was very encouraging.
As I taught myself how to create my pieces and perfect my unique style, I found myself inspired by other artists—Elie Nadelman, Niki de Saint Phalle, Henri Rousseau, and even artists without formal art training who just create. They are called “outside artists.” Thorton Dial, a recognized outside artist, once said, Art ain’t about paint. It ain’t about canvas. It’s about ideas.
I find that quote at the heart of what I do. When I make my sculptures, I always start with lots of sketches. Even if I do not yet have a clear idea of what I am creating, I doodle and sketch until I come up with my idea. From these sketches, I start assembling the different pieces of my sculpture. I do most of my woodwork and cutting in my basement where I keep most of my tools like power drills and saws. From the cutting, I bring those pieces upstairs into my studio where I connect them together and start painting the finished sculpture. After assembling and applying the finishing touches, I photograph my work. Most of my pieces are made from paper, clay, paper mache, wire, wood, or a combination of any of the above. The process can be incredibly time consuming, yet it is necessary in order to perfect all of the details.
I explore a variety of themes in my sculptures and tend to group four or five motifs together into one coherent theme. A lot of my work is centered around animals—fish and birds in particular. My style is very light, whimsical, and happy. I do not try to recreate a particular fish or bird; I try to create a fun and sometimes absurd spin on an animal. One of my pieces titled “Which Came First” is of a chicken sitting on an egg beater, almost like it is riding a bicycle. I really enjoy this playful style. In addition to my whimsical animals, I also sculpt people, which are sometimes made out of wood rather than clay, and are articulated. In a way, they have a folk art feel. I enjoy fluctuating between these two different styles and constantly exploring different ways to create.
Part of the reason why my style is so fantastical is that I aim to make myself and others happy. My primary philosophy is that my art should be positive, joyful, and make people smile. There is something powerful and rewarding in creating simply for the happiness of others. I aim that with every new unique creation of mine, my customers are able to laugh, and simply have fun.
Thank you,
Richard Abarno