b. New York, NY 1958
Lives and Works in Providence, RI

Richard Whitten grew up in Manhattan earning a B.A. with Honors in Economics from Yale University and an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of California at Davis where he studied with both Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Arneson. Whitten has exhibited extensively throughout the US including solo exhibitions at The Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington, The Newport Art Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, and The University of Maine Museum of Art. He is in the collection of several museums on both coasts. Presently Whitten is a Professor of Painting at Rhode Island College and has recently completed a term as Art Department Chairperson. Richard is a recipient of the 2022-23 Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant.

Statement

My paintings deal with intellectual play. Intellectual play, in my opinion, is not only the basis of learning but is also synonymous to fascination and delight. These paintings are meant to be games or toys in themselves. The challenge for the viewers is, without knowing "the rules", to propel the image into motion with sight and thought alone." The painting's surface acts as game board, and the viewers are challenged to move a hovering ball (through imagination) into place. These shaped panels exist as objects in the world of the viewer. Viewers are drawn into the illusion of the painted image where they are invited to explore, to interact with the painting by visually “touching” and mentally “setting the painting into motion.”

- Richard Whitten