biography of Richard Harrison CRIST (1909-1985)

Birth place: Cleveland, OH

Death place: Woodstock, NY

Addresses: Pittsburgh, PA, 1930s; New Hope, PA, 1940-; Somerset, PA, c 1948-c.58; Woodstock, NY, 1960-

Profession: Painter, muralist, illustrator, writer, lithographer

Studied: Cl; AIC (named American traveling scholar); L. Ritman; B. Anisfeld; D. Siqueiros in Mexico, 1930s

Exhibited: Pittsburgh AA, 1932 (prize), 1934 (prize), 1938 (prize); CI, 1940 (prize); PAFA, 1942, 1947, 1949; Mus. of Non-Objective Painting, NYC; WMAA, 1956-57; Albany Inst. Hist. & Art, 1957; NY State College Teachers, Albany, 1957; Audubon Artists, 1967; Berkshire MA 1957 (prize),1968 (prize); Rennselaer Polytech Inst., Troy, NY, 1969; Butler AI; CGA; CM

Member: Pittsburgh AA; Woodstock AA (exec. board).

Work: Mineral Indust. College; Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh; Penn. State Univ.; Public Schools Collections, Pittsburgh, Somerset & Latrobe, PA; Mary Washington College, Univ. Virginia; Woodstock AA. Commissions: mural, Prospect School, Pittsburgh, PA.

Comments: While living in Pittsburgh during the 1930s he joined the WPA project and traveled to Mexico. Moved to New Hope in 1940 in order to paint and so that his wife Eda Crist could pursue her theatrical ambitions. With Lloyd Ney's encouragement, he took up abstraction in these years and soon began producing non-objective work. In the late 1940s he and his wife moved to Somerset, PA, where in order to support their family, the couple began co-producing children's books (written by Eda and illustrated by Richard). In 1960 Crist became part of the Woodstock art colony and remained there until his death. Publications: author/illustrator, The Cloud Catcher," 1956; "Secret of Turkey-Foot Mountain," 1957; "Broken Horse Chimneys," 1960; "The Queekup Spring," 1961; "Cub Scout Donny Abingdon."

Sources: WW73; WW47."