Richard A. Masters

​

​

For the past two decades, Richard Masters has exhibited his artwork in highly competitive venues, a record that includes numerous solo, group, and invitational shows as well as over fifty national and international juried exhibitions. His work is often critically recognized, honors that include eight Best of Show awards.

In the field of design, the United States Treasury Department has credited Masters with 19 coin designs and five medal designs through his work with the United States Mint. Design credits among circulating coinage include the 2006 Nebraska State Quarter reverse, the 2009 Bicentennial Lincoln Cent (Log Cabin) reverse, the 2011 Native American (Sacajawea) Golden Dollar reverse, the 2017 America the Beautiful Effigy Mounds National Monument (Iowa) Quarter reverse, and the 2018 AtB Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin) Quarter reverse.

Masters is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he previously served as Professor of Art for 19 years. He studied design and drawing at the University of Iowa, graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1990.

A native of Iowa, he and his wife, MeeWha Lee, currently live and work in New York City.

​

​

Statement

​

In his work, Richard Masters seeks to reconstruct fleeting memories of a specific time and place that underscore his existence. His drawings, painstakingly painted in graphite or colored pencil, convey a strong and compelling sense of light, one that effectively bathes the composition. While the viewer’s expectation of a real world experience may be satisfied, the artist often exploits the perspective and arranges certain elements within a composition to present a world that exists solely in his memory. Like a dream, Masters’ work attempts to unveil certain narratives nurturing within him, thus rendering unnecessary the use of color.

​

​

​

EDUCATION

1990 Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Major: Design, Minor: Drawing

School of Art & Art History, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

 

TEACHING

1996-2015

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wis.

Current status: Professor Emeritus

 

SOLO, GROUP & INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

2018 Existential Narratives, Gallery Yonhee at KCC, Tenafly, NJ

2017 NYC Invitational Group Show, George Billis Gallery, New York, N.Y.

2016 Invitational Group Exhibition, Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Gallery, New York, N.Y.

2013 Richard Masters: A Retrospective, Farnham Galleries, Simpson College; Indianola, Iowa

2011 Solo Exhibition, Iowa Historical Society; Iowa City, Iowa

2008 Solo Exhibition, The History Museum at the Castle; Appleton, Wis.

2006 University of Iowa Centennial Alumni Exhibition, School of Art and Art History, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

2003 Brittingham Art Invitational II, Brittingham House, University of Wisconsin System, Madison, Wis.

1997-2014 Biannual Faculty Fine Arts Show, Priebe Gallery, UWO Department of Art, Oshkosh, Wis.

 

SELECTED JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2018 105th Annual Exhibition, Allied Artists of America, Inc., New York, NY  AAA Bronze Medal of Honor (3rd place)

2018 Academic Artists Association 68th Annual National Exhibition, Arts Center East, Vernon, CT AA Honor Award for Best Graphics

2017 Black & White National Juried Exhibition, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition; Brooklyn, N. Y.

2016 75th Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Arnot Art Museum; Elmira, N. Y.  Fanny Arnot Haven Award

2016 Annual Juried Non-Members Photography & Graphics Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, N. Y.  SC Award for Best Graphics

2015 102nd Annual Exhibition, Allied Artists of America, Inc., New York, N.Y.   AAA Award for Best Graphics

2013 “Strokes of Genius” National Juried Painting Exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, Md.

2012 26th Northern National Art Competition, Northern Arts Council and Nicolet College, Rhinelander, Wis.

2011 Artists of the New North, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, Neenah, Wis.

2010 75th National Exhibition of the Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown, N.Y.

2010 28th Annual Juried Exhibition, Pleiades Gallery of Contemporary Art, New York, N. Y.

2009 18th National Juried Show, Art Center of Northern New Jersey, New Milford, N. J.

2009 22nd Northern National Art Competition, Northern Arts Council and Nicolet College, Rhinelander, Wis.  Patron Award

2008 International Juried Show, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, N. J.

2008 Arts in Harmony ’08, Elks River Arts Alliance, Elks River, Minn. Honorable Mention

2008 31st Annual Art on Paper, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, Md.

2007 CPSA Explore This! 4 Exhibition, Colored Pencil Society of America, Los Angeles, Cal. Friends of the CPSA Award

2007 94th Annual Exhibition, Allied Artists of America, Inc., New York, N.Y.   National Arts Club Award for Graphics

2006 Pencil It In, Fredricksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Fredricksburg, Va.

2006 Americas 2000: All Media, Northwest Art Center, Minot State Univ., Minot, N. Dak.

2006 Southworks 2006 Juried Art Exhibition, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Ga.

2005 48th Annual International Exhibition, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, Cal.  Best of Show

2005 20th Annual Conservatory Art Classic, Bosque Conservatory Art Council, Clifton, Tex.

2005 Backroads & Boulevards, Fredricksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Fredricksburg, Va.  Third Place

2005 74th Annual Exhibition, Hudson Valley Art Assoc., Inc., Hastings-on-Hudson, N. Y.

2005 14th National Exhibition, Northern Colorado Artist Association, Fort Collins, Col.  Janie O. Smith Memorial Award

2005 International Juried Show, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, N. J.

2003 16th Northern National Art Competition, Northern Arts Council and Nicolet College, Rhinelander, Wis.  Top Award, 1 of 3

2003 23rd Annual Secura Fine Art Exhibition, Secura Insurance Co. Appleton, Wis. Best of Show

2003 International Juried Show 2003, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, N. J.

2003 23rd Annual AAS July National Exhibition, Associated Artists of Southport, Southport, N. Car.

2003 Greater Midwest International Exhibition XVIII, Central Missouri State University Art Center Gallery, Warrensburg, Mo.

2002 7th Annual National Juried Exhibition Competition, Memphis/Germantown Art League, Germantown, Tenn.  Best of Show

2002 71st Annual Exhibition, Hudson Valley Art Assoc., Inc., Hastings-on-Hudson, N. Y. Art Times Award

2002 International Juried Show, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts; Summit, N. J.

2002 Winter Works 2002, Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts, Steamboat Springs, Col.

2002 Concept to Object National Juried Art Show, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Md.

2001 16th Florida National Combined Talents Exhibition, FSU Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.

2001 4th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Studio 4 West Art Gallery, Piermont, N. Y.

2001 11th Annual International Juried Art Exhibition, Havre de Grace Arts Commission, Havre de Grace, Md.  Honorable Mention

2001 1st Annual Midwest Juried Art Exhibition & Competition, Visual Arts Minnesota, St. Cloud, Minn.  Best of Show

2001 11th Annual Black & White Shades of Gray National Exhibition, Artists Unlimited, Inc., Tampa, FL

1999 55th Juried Exhibition, Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City, Iowa

1997 Art in the Park, Appleton Gallery of the Arts, Appleton, Wis.  Best of Show

 

DESIGN WORK

2004- current

Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Artist, Department of the Treasury, United States Mint, Washington, DC

 

* Currently assisting the United States Mint in creating new designs for U.S. coin and medal programs. Design credits to date:

2018 America the Beautiful Quarters® Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin) Reverse

Barack Obama 1st Term Presidential Bronze Medal Obverse

2017 America the Beautiful Quarters® Effigy Mounds National Monument (Iowa) Reverse

2016 Presidential Dollar Ronald Reagan Obverse

2016 First Spouse Ten-Dollar Gold Pat Nixon Obverse

2016 First Spouse Ten-Dollar  Gold Pat  Nixon Reverse

2015 U.S. Marshals Commemorative Silver Dollar Obverse

2015 First Spouse Ten-Dollar Gold Mamie Eisenhower Obverse

2014 First Spouse Ten-Dollar Gold Lou Hoover Reverse

2013 First Special Service Force Congressional Gold Medal Reverse

2013 First Spouse Ten-Dollar Gold Helen Taft Reverse

2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Silver Dollar Obverse

2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Five-Dollar Gold Reverse

2011 First Spouse Ten-Dollar Gold Julia Grant Reverse

2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Silver Dollar Reverse

2011 United States Army Commemorative Silver Dollar Obverse

2011 Native American (Wampanoag Treaty) Golden Dollar Reverse

2010 Muhammad Yunus Congressional Gold Medal Reverse

George W. Bush 2nd Term Presidential Bronze Medal Reverse

2009 Northern Mariana Islands Quarter Reverse

2009 Bicentennial Lincoln Cent (Log Cabin) Reverse

2008 Comanche Code Talkers Congressional Gold Medal Obverse

2007 Little Rock Central High School Desegregation Commemorative Silver Dollar Obverse

2006 50-States Quarters® Nebraska Reverse

 

COLLECTIONS

Numismatic

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Hodgenville, Ky.

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States

Comanche Nation Headquarters, Comanche County, Okla.

Command and General Staff College Foundation, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Effigy Mounds National Monument Park Headquarters, Harpers Ferry, Iowa

Fort William Henry Harrison, Helena, Mont.

George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch, Iowa

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Little Rock, Ark.

Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace, Boone, Iowa

National United States Marshals Museum, Fort Smith, Ark.

Nebraska State Governor’s Office, Lincoln, Neb.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and Congressional Gold Medal recipient

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda, Cal.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs, Simi Valley, Cal.

Smithsonian Institution, National Numismatic Collection, Washington, D. C.

Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, Baltimore, Md.

Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Mississippi State University, Miss.

United States Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, D. C.

United States Department of the Army, The Pentagon, Arlington County, Va.

William Howard Taft National Historic Site, Cincinnati, Ohio

Millions of Americans and individuals worldwide who collect United States coins

Fine Art

Numerous private collections throughout the United States

​

​

​

​