Gallery Exhibitions at Headquarters Library

The Color-Blind Artist: Richard Gerstner, American Artist, 74

On Display through March 31, 2022.

Richard has been an artist all his life. From drawing while lying on the living room floor as a child to sitting at his drawing board today. 

Richard has been a Painter, a Photographic Silkscreener, but 15 years ago he decided to go back to the basics...Drawing. He uses Rapidiograph pens which are all marked with what color they are.

Art has opened many doors for him. In the US Army (August 1966-August 1968) he created maps, map overlays and graphics. Once discharged and back in Dayton, Ohio he was hired as a commercial artist/Assistant Art Director for a

printing company.

In 1972 he packed his Volkswagon and drove to Manhattan to search for work. He was the Art Editor at TV Star Parade Magazine, illustrator for Lee & Young Communications before being hired by Newsweek where is stayed for 21 years.

After Newsweek, he designed and built websites He was also the Director of Development and hosted his own talk show for 8 years at WDVR-FM.

His silkscreen work was on many covers of Newsweek International. He was commissioned by Imelda Marcos for portrait work. His art is on file at the Museum of Modern Art (Manhattan), the Dayton Art Institute(Ohio) and the Parkersburg Art Museum (West Virginia). His work can also be found in private collections (including Bill and Hillary Clinton) in the US, London, Tokyo and Manilla.

In 1994 Richard went to Viet Nam for Holt International Children's Services. His assignment was to photograph orphans and then create photographic silkscreens for a traveling show. The show opened in 1995 at the Senate Russell Building in Washington, DC. It was hosted by Hillary Clinton and the corporate sponsor was Kodak. The show then traveled to the State Department and the Capitol Rotundra in Trenton before traveling across the country.

You can contact Richard at rlgerstner@embarqmail.com or 908-782-0027.