Inspiration comes to Richard Sukup from many places. A mountain range or a Texas sunset are reliable sources.
The artist recently returned from the Big Bend area, which can conjure abundant ideas and themes. Inspiration came once by a sidewalk when a homeless man was comforting his dog as they sat withdrawn in the cold. Sukup gave the man $5 and took a photo.
"That photo burned in my mind for four years," Sukup recalled. "It got to the point that I just had to paint him."
The painting, reproduced with the high-tech giclée technique, captures the man with a vague, hazy face, indicating the person could be anyone. "The Forgotten Unknowns," which was donated to Beautiful Feet Ministries of Fort Worth, was among the many Sukup works of a recent show at the Alkek Fine Arts Center, Weatherford College.
Other noted works in the show included "Only the Courageous," dedicated to the firefighters of the Roberts County range fire, the worst range fire in Texas history, which was sold at the victim's fundraising auction. Also, "Perseverance" depicting a rancher on horse gazing at fire scorched land, "Cut'n 'Em Out," which earned national notoriety, and "Wildfire," which was gifted to singer Michael Martin Murphey on his birthday this year.
His work was recently displayed in the Weatherford Art Association Spirit of the West exhibit at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center.
Sukup is an intense advocate of art at all levels, encouraging and teaching artists as a regular art workshop member at the Kimbell Art Museum.
"If you are the kind of person that wants to get into art, you have to have perseverance." Sukup encouraged. "You have to follow that passion and to be true to the passion. You have to be true to what is in your heart because that is where your inspiration comes from.
"Do you want recognition? Are you following your passion for recognition, or are you following your passion because that is who you are? You see, there's a difference," the artist explained. "It's like a musician that has that breakout song that finally brings recognition. Maybe it's a breakout painting that will bring you recognition, but you first have to follow your passion and have perseverance."
Many of his works can be viewed online and two books, Spirit and Hand Vol. I and II, are also available at www.RichardSukupArt.com.
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