Meet Pasadena Artist: Richard Ian Cohen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Ian Cohen.

Richard, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Artist Richard Ian Cohen grew up in the warmth of the South Florida / Miami sun and waters. In particular, the Florida Keys played a major influence on his being. His art is influenced by the surrounding environment of the ocean and marine creatures. Sunsets, exploding Sailfish, the deep blue / purple hues of the open ocean were just a few of the resources he gathered and implemented in his creations.

Whether the medium be painting, sculpting, photography, charcoals, apparel or music, his desire to create has led to new ways of expressing his passions. Richard moved to Los Angeles in 1992 and for the past decade, the artist has discovered glitter as a unique medium and has concentrated on refining this aspect of his creations.

These glitter paintings have been showcased on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and featured in the home of Bob Marley’s mother. Owners include model Aria Giovanni, Grammy Award winners Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Aaron Neville and Ziggy Marley, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar among others. He has had featured works at L.A. Downtown Art Walk, various underground Los Angeles Art Shows and on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach California.

Has it been a smooth road?
As smooth as a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere. Loss of spiritual, emotional, physical, financial and mental stability have all been a part of the journey, and each was a blessing. As the saying goes…….” You can’t get the blessing if you don’t learn the lesson.”

Has there been people or an institution that has played a pivotal role in your career?
Well….though I was only ten years old when Bob Marley passed, I feel blessed that I walked the Earth at the same time as him. His influence is Total in my experience as a human being.
The other influences in the realm of tangible/ intangible art are what I call the D3 or D Cubed. Durer, Dali and da Vinci. My early teachers would say my style was more in line of a Max Beckmann or Otto Dix, but I was always drawn to the D3.

What kind of work do you look forward to most?
Well…..I have been putting feelers out to the Seminole Tribe who own the Hard Rock Cafés because I feel my Rock ‘n Roll glitter works would be a perfect match in terms of atmosphere and ambiance. Also having grown up three blocks from the tribal land in Hollywood Florida when they only had Bingo and Alligator wrestling I feel there is a spiritual connection as well. These works really come to life with a little shimmering of a strong light, I found this out accidentally when Cyril Neville put my Lion of Judah flag in front of his congas on the Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno back in ’09. Just standing in the audience and watching the work move from the rhythm of the beats and the stage lights hitting the glitter…..I thought the lion was going to walk off the canvas and go shake Leno’s hand. It added another dimensionality to the works. I was extremely excited.

Oh…..and Disney……Disney Parks would work well given the medium and atmosphere.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were just starting out?
Learn the piano….I have played the guitar since I was ten years old, but once I found the New Orleans piano sound I have longed to have learned the piano.

As for the art work…..I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Each failure….each success whether fleeting or lasting has lead to the path that I still trod today and the soul I am becoming until the next realm. All I can do is be kind to others and animals and pray for guidance..

Contact Info:

• Website:http://ricgallery.wix.com/ric-gallery
• Phone:954-648-8082
• Email:[email protected]