Richard Carlyon

I recently surfaced Richard's retrospective catalogue and re-related it to my coffee table. It's a beautiful read and brings memories back of one of the finest person I've ever kown. Over time I've come to realize how unique he was in this way. His work is still so imaginative, brilliant and engaging and I thank him for his gifts to us all. Gail Nathan

Richard Carlyon was one of the most influential people I’ve ever encountered. I only knew him a brief time, but his wonderfully cynical and uproariously funny perspective on art and the world was not only infectious, but it caused a quantum shift in how I approached scholarship, my art, and my thought process. I was in his class the night the first Gulf War broke out. I saw such humanity in the little man with the black polo shirt…he became a giant in my mind. His loss is great, but as we...

In 1963, when I was 18 years old, Mr. Carlyon opened my eyes to the world. I shall be eternally grateful for having had the inimitable opportunity and vast pleasure of being in his drawing class.

As Richard said about art, I must say about him---'he was magnificent, wasn't he?' He taught me much and he made me laugh...I'll always love him & miss him. Eleanor, you & Jason & Cheryl are in my thought, my heart & my prayers

Each student has different stories about Richard's take on their particular generation -all poingnantly pointed at us, as if to stir us from some kind of sleep. Anyone who was in class for his lectures -even just sitting in (with permission) will always remember something he said and has probably incorporated it into their own ideology.
During my last long trip to Richmond I saw him in the thrift store on Main St. We talked for a full half hour in one of the aisles- I think it was the...

He was so exciting as a teacher. He was so inspirational as an artist, and as a human being. He was fun, too. Most what I cherish about Richard Carlyon, was how tremendously kind he was. In response to a get well card I sent him, he wrote me back a note. Tonight I thought I had misplaced it. Oh! I found it in my little bag of spiritually comforting cd's, books, and journals. There was his kind letter.

Richard was a spark, a bird, a dancer--he moved across the packed Hibbs auditorium laughing and telling it (modern art history) as if he were there just yesterday with Jackson Pollock, Hans Hoffman (was he there?), DeKooning, etc...people wanted to be there, his energy, love and general lust for life, and I speak of the art life, made lots of us just want to believe and Richard was believing. I took as many of his classes as I could get into during the 70's, and when I returned from San...

This morning is was hard to go to work after having heard about Richard's passing. But, he was the greatest teacher I ever knew, so I walked into my classrom and I taught.

Richard , richard, richard
your richmond family feels your loss. I bet you're cold hard chillin' with Andy warhol laughin at us passing the time making experimental music with the rain clouds with your black turtle neck and tinted glasses.
I can remember being at Kuba Kuba , sucking down orange soda and cafe con leches with candice hoeflinger , getting jazzed on the city talking current events from pop culture to the arts. richard was always more infinately hip than I ever have been...