Richard D. Thomas

from The George G. Matthews Collection of Western Art

John Paul Strain

1939 - 2019

Richard D. Thomas grew up in the small town of Avenal, in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Following high school Thomas attended the Arizona State University. By the time he finished college the Viet Nam War was ramping up, so Thomas enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1962, serving in Vietnam in 1965. Following his service in the Marine Corps, Thomas worked for many years for a high-tech defense contractor and painted as a hobby. When his marriage ended and the plant he worked in closed, Thomas decided to paint full-time, spending years refining his technique and showing his work in hotels, shopping malls, and at convention centers.

Living for more than two decades in Colorado and later in Montana, Thomas was surrounded by many inspirational vistas from which he drew inspiration. He tended to paint plein air, spending a lot time observing his surroundings, often including local ranchers in his paintings. He also carefully researched his subjects and used photographs for reference. However, as he said, “I pretty much paint only that which I can experience myself.” He immersed himself in his work, becoming a part of what he painted on the canvas, saying, “A painting is an expression of what goes on around an artist. You can’t hide anything. You’re in there.”

As an impressionist, the challenge for Thomas was to convey to the viewer the reality of the feeling of being there, but not the precise detail. “I really like to hear people say, ‘I feel like I’ve been there.’” For Thomas that meant less can be more and that it was important to know when to stop. “You have to bring a painting to the extent your personality and temperament will allow and learn when to stop. You don’t want to make it too pretty.”

Apparently, the natural beauty of the West and the challenge of conveying the reality of the feeling of being there, without allowing the detail to detract from that impression, was a lifelong quest for Thomas. He described his process this way, “There is always something to learn...there is no final attainable goal in art. It’s always just a little out of reach, just enough to keep you going.”

BACKCOUNTRY RENDEZVOUS Oil on Canvas 1995 50 x 36 inches