Richard Skurla - Artist Biography
(American, b. 1957 - )
Born in upstate New York in 1957, Mr. Skurla and his family moved west to settle in the north Texas area in 1967. Mr. Skurla is a 1979 graduate of Texas A&M University, and it was not until he was out of school and working that he took up the brush. After working in a career as a computer programmer and painting in his spare time, in the late 1980’s Mr. Skurla made the leap of faith to make painting his vocation. Mr. Skurla attended several art workshops and classes at the SMU School of Art in Dallas, Texas. He also studied with various national artists, and attended numerous workshops taught by such artists as New York’s Gregg Kreutz and Wolf Kahn, New Mexico’s Kevin Macpherson and Ann Templeton, and Dallas’s Bob Rohm. While living in Dallas, Mr. Skurla exhibited in juried shows, such as the 1992 Regional Richardson Civic Art Show in Richardson, Texas. In 1993, he exhibited in a 3-Man show at the Historic Pace House in Garland, Texas. In 1994, attracted by the beautiful scenery of Colorado, Mr. Skurla settled in the Ft. Collins area of Colorado with his wife, Carolyn. There he enjoyed the painting challenges of Colorado landscapes. His primary focus was to capture the color and light effects of the Colorado vistas from the plains in the east to the mountains in the west. In Denver, he has exhibited at the Abend Gallery’s Annual Miniature Show (‘95 through ‘97). In 2002, Mr. Skurla and family moved to Waco, TX to start a new fine art gallery called the Silver Maple Gallery. In 2008, Mr. Skurla received is BFA from the University of Texas Arlington. In 2011, Mr. Skurla received his MFA from Stephen F. Austin State University, and through his extensive study of the great artists of the German Expressionists, French Fauvists and New York School of Abstract Expressionists, he has developed his own unique style. He enjoys experimenting with form, material, texture, and color in order to create vibrant and exciting 3-D works of art that he calls Volumetrics. Mr. Skurla continues working to bring abstract expressionism, fauve-like colors, and sculptural forms together to create explosive images that bring joy to his abstracted creations. He terms himself a “Neo-Expressionist", and he hopes you will enjoy his work and creative vision. Mr. Skurla is in various private and corporate collections, such as JCPenney in Dallas, Texas and Baylor University, Waco, Texas. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Art at McLennan Community College, Waco and at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX. The Studio Gallery in Waco, Texas represents the works of Mr. Skurla.
(American, b. 1957 - )
Born in upstate New York in 1957, Mr. Skurla and his family moved west to settle in the north Texas area in 1967. Mr. Skurla is a 1979 graduate of Texas A&M University, and it was not until he was out of school and working that he took up the brush. After working in a career as a computer programmer and painting in his spare time, in the late 1980’s Mr. Skurla made the leap of faith to make painting his vocation. Mr. Skurla attended several art workshops and classes at the SMU School of Art in Dallas, Texas. He also studied with various national artists, and attended numerous workshops taught by such artists as New York’s Gregg Kreutz and Wolf Kahn, New Mexico’s Kevin Macpherson and Ann Templeton, and Dallas’s Bob Rohm. While living in Dallas, Mr. Skurla exhibited in juried shows, such as the 1992 Regional Richardson Civic Art Show in Richardson, Texas. In 1993, he exhibited in a 3-Man show at the Historic Pace House in Garland, Texas. In 1994, attracted by the beautiful scenery of Colorado, Mr. Skurla settled in the Ft. Collins area of Colorado with his wife, Carolyn. There he enjoyed the painting challenges of Colorado landscapes. His primary focus was to capture the color and light effects of the Colorado vistas from the plains in the east to the mountains in the west. In Denver, he has exhibited at the Abend Gallery’s Annual Miniature Show (‘95 through ‘97). In 2002, Mr. Skurla and family moved to Waco, TX to start a new fine art gallery called the Silver Maple Gallery. In 2008, Mr. Skurla received is BFA from the University of Texas Arlington. In 2011, Mr. Skurla received his MFA from Stephen F. Austin State University, and through his extensive study of the great artists of the German Expressionists, French Fauvists and New York School of Abstract Expressionists, he has developed his own unique style. He enjoys experimenting with form, material, texture, and color in order to create vibrant and exciting 3-D works of art that he calls Volumetrics. Mr. Skurla continues working to bring abstract expressionism, fauve-like colors, and sculptural forms together to create explosive images that bring joy to his abstracted creations. He terms himself a “Neo-Expressionist", and he hopes you will enjoy his work and creative vision. Mr. Skurla is in various private and corporate collections, such as JCPenney in Dallas, Texas and Baylor University, Waco, Texas. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Art at McLennan Community College, Waco and at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX. The Studio Gallery in Waco, Texas represents the works of Mr. Skurla.