Figurative artist J. Kirk Richards is becoming increasingly known for his accomplishments as a painter of Judeo-Christian themes. While not all of his paintings are overtly religious, the majority of his themes stem from spiritual ideas and narratives.

Kirk served a two-year church mission in the areas surrounding Rome, Italy. On occasional breaks, he took advantage of opportunities to visit great Italian masterpieces. Among other things, the experience influenced his palette, which often consists of subdued browns and rusts.

Kirk took a break from University studies to briefly apprentice with Swiss-born symbolist Patrick Devonas. Richards attributes his learning of classical realist skills to the instruction he received from Devonas in Princeton, New Jersey.

Kirk's artwork has been featured in various shows and publications, including the BYU Museum of Art "Beholding Salvation: The Life of Christ in Word and Image" show and accompanying book, Lee Groberg's PBS Documentary and book entitled "Sweetwater Rescue: The Willie and Martin Handcart Story", Helen Whitney's PBS Frontline Documentary entitled "The Mormons: An American Experience", two books published by Covenant Communications entitled "Images and Testimonies of the Living Christ" and "The Holy Bible: New Testament", BYU Studies front covers, and various appearances in the Ensign.

His work has won first place awards in various shows, including the Springville Museum of Art Annual Spring Salon and Religious Show, Renaissance Center Juried Show in Nashville, Tennessee, Provo Arts Council Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Bountiful/Davis Art Center Statewide Art Competition, Southern Virginia University Annual Shenandoah Invitational Art Show, the Twentieth & Twenty-First Robert N. & Peggy Sears 2007 & 2008 Dixie State Invitational Art Shows, and the Museum of Church History and Art International Art Competitions (Award of Merit and Purchase Award).

While Richards continues to work in a surprising variety of styles, most of his paintings exhibit a love for the human figure, general use of symbolism and metaphor, and an emphasis on lyric composition. His paintings can be found in public and private collections nationwide.

HONORS/AWARDS

-2008, First Place Award (for "Harvest"), Twenty-First Robert N. & Peggy Sears 2008 Dixie State Invitational Art Show, Feb. 15 - March 22, 2008, St. George, UT.

-2007, Director's Choice Award (for "Gethsemane"), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2007, Award-Winning Finalist in the National Best Books 2007 Awards in the category of "Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Fiction with Audio CD" for "The Big Move," written and illustrated by J. Kirk Richards.

-2007, Finalist in "The Artist's Magazine" 24th Annual Art Competition for "Cherubim & A Flaming Sword" and "Crown of Blossoms," and will be featured in the December issue of the magazine.

-2007, First Place for Mixed Media Artwork (for "Family Prayer"), Twentieth Robert N. & Peggy Sears 2007 Dixie State Invitational Art Show, St. George, UT

-2006, Curator's Award (for "Nicodemus), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2006, Invited to be a Juror for the Provo Arts Council Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Provo, UT

-2006, Merit Award (for "Asenath"), 82nd Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2006, First Place Oil Painting (for "Crown of Blossoms"), Southern Virginia University Third Annual Shenandoah Invitational Art Show, Southern Virginia University, Buena Vista, VA

-2006, Award of Merit (for "Baptism II"), Seventh International Art Competition, Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT

-2006, First Place Award (for "Harvest"), Bountiful/Davis Art Center Statewide Art Competition, Bountiful/Davis Art Center, Bountiful, UT

-2005, Director's Choice Award (for "Crucifixion") and Purchase Award (for "Keepers of the City"), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2005, First Place Award (for "Crown of Blossoms") and Honorable Mention Award (for "Baptism II"), Provo Arts Council Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Harris Fine Art Center, Provo, UT

-2004, Jurors' First Place Award (for "Grey Day Golgotha"), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2004, Jurors' First Place Award (for "Harvest"), 80th Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2003, Jurors' Second Place Award (for "The Eleventh Hour"), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2003, TN Art League Award and People's Choice Award (for "Rose of Sharon"), Tennessee Art League Juried Show, Leu Gallery, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

-2003, Purchase Award (for "Son of Man"), Sixth International Art Competition, Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT

-2003, Winner of the Boult, Cummings, Conners, Berry PLC Holiday Art Competition, Nashville, TN

-2002, Award of Excellence and Best Painting in Show (for "Cherubim & A Flaming Sword"), Renaissance Center Juried Show, Dickson, TN

-2002, Kirk was the youngest of 220 Utah artists invited to participate in the Winter Olympics 150-Year Retrospective of Utah Artists Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2000, Director's Choice Award (for "Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Prodigal Son") and Purchase Award (for "Daughter of Jairus"), Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

SELECT PUBLIC & PRIVATE COLLECTIONS INCLUDE:

Springville Art Museum, Springville, UT, Director Vern Swanson
D & K Foster, Founder and Former President, Galton Technologies
S & G Erickson, VP & CFO, Altiris
S & A Komisar, President, Protherics Biomedical Research
Senator & Mrs. Dodd, CT
Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT
N & M Tolk, Senate and Professor, Vanderbilt University
K & E Asay, President and CEO, Morinda Holdings, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. H.D. Clark, MD, DDS, PC
J & F Cliff, Mantis Cranes, Ceramicist
D & P Winters, Owner, ldstoday.com
J & B Douglas, Founder, Rising Star Outreach

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

-2008, September 11 - January 25, 2009, upcoming solo show at the Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

-2008, May 16th and 17th, Nashville, TN Solo Shows. Midtown Lofts, 6-9pm.

-2007, May 18-19, Solo San Diego Shows, Rancho Santa Fe and Poway, CA

-2006, Sept. 14-15, Studio Tour, Provo and Orem, UT

-2005, Oct. 21 - 22, Studio Tour, Provo, UT

-2005, March 28 - April 9, Red Dot Gallery, Provo, UT

-2004, Oct. 15, Women of Promise: and Other Recent Paintings by J. Kirk Richards, Genema Gallery, Atlanta, GA

-2004, Oct. 2-9, Women of Promise: and Other Recent Paintings by J. Kirk Richards, Main Cross Street Gallery, Nashville, TN

-2004, Sept. 7-11, Studio Tour, Provo, UT

-2003, Nov. 15, The Residence, Orem, UT

-2003, June - August, Truths and Visions: Paintings by J. Kirk Richards, Main Cross Street Gallery, Nashville, TN

-2002, Nov. 16 - Dec. 21, Images of Inspiration, Main Cross Street Gallery, Nashville, TN

-2002, Oct. 25, Music Without Boundaries, Main Cross Street Gallery, Nashville, TN, solo exhibition accompanied by a performance by the Nashville Chamber Orchestra.

-2002, March 1-2, West End Lofts, Nashville, TN

-2001, April 28 and May 3-5, The Residence, Orem, UT

-2000, August 10, The Residence, Orem, UT

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

-2008, April 24, Authentique Gallery-Sponsored Open House Art Show, Pheonix, AZ, Details TBA.

-2008, April 10, Authentique Gallery-Sponsored Open House Art Show, Sandy, UT, Details TBA.

-2008, Twenty-First Robert N. & Peggy Sears 2008 Dixie State Invitational Art Show, Feb. 15 - March 22, 2008, St. George, UT, "Harvest" was awarded "First Place."

-2008, January 31, Authentique Gallery-Sponsored Open House Art Show, The Gerrard Residence, Henderson, NV, Kirk showed about ten paintings along side five other artists.

-2007, Oct. 31 - December 27, 2007, Twenty-Second Annual Religious & Spiritual Art of Utah Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Gethsemane" received the Director's Choice Award.

-2007, September 14, Authentique Gallery, St. George, UT, upcoming show with various original artwork to be shown.

-2007, June 15 - July 30, Provo Arts Council Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Coleman Studios, Provo, UT, "Runners" selected to be shown.

-2007, April 29-July 8, 83rd Annual Spring Salon Juried Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Angel of Deliverance" shown.

-2007, April 12-June 5, Southern Virginia University Fourth Annual Shenandoah Invitational Art Show, Southern Virginia University, Buena Vista, VA, "Mother & Child" and "Joseph Smith, Jr." shown.

-2007, Feb. 16 - March 25, Twentieth Robert N. & Peggy Sears 2007 Dixie State Invitational Art Show, St. George, UT, "Family Prayer" (awarded First Place in the Mixed Media category) and "Figure with Wings II" were shown.

-2007, Sept. 29, 2006 - Sept. 15, 2007, Willie & Martin Remembered: A Tribute to the Mormon Handcart Pioneers, Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT, also traveling to Washington D.C. and Nauvoo, IL, "Carriers" was selected to be shown.

-2007, Nov. 16, 2006 - June 16, 2007, Beholding Salvation: Images of Christ, BYU Museum of Art, Provo, UT, "Baptism of Christ" and "Gethsemane" were shown.

-2006, Nov. 8 - Dec. 27, Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Song of the Heart" and "Nicodemus" (recipient of the Curator's Award) were shown.

-2006, Sept. 29, Two-man exhibit, Authentique Gallery, St. George, UT

-2006, April 30 - July 2, 82nd Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Asenath" (awarded a Merit Award) was shown.

-2006, April - May, Southern Virginia University Third Annual Shenandoah Invitational Art Show, Southern Virginia University, Buena Vista, VA, "Crown of Blossoms" (awarded First Place in Oil Painting category) was shown.

-2006, March 24 - September 4, Seventh International Art Competition, Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT, "Baptism II" (recipient of an Award of Merit) was shown.

-2006, Bountiful/Davis Art Center Statewide Art Competition, Bountiful/Davis Art Center, Bountiful, UT, "Harvest" (awarded First Place) was shown.

-2005, Nov. - Dec., Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Crucifixion" (recipient of the Director's Choice Award) and "Keepers of the City" (Purchase Award) were shown.

-2005, June 24 - July 14, Provo Arts Council Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Harris Fine Art Center, Provo, UT, "Crown of Blossoms" (Awarded First Place), "Rose of Sharon" (Awarded Honorable Mention Award), and "Baptism II" were shown.

-2005, April 30 - July 3, 81st Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Pillar of Fire" was shown.

-2004, Nov. 7 - Dec. 24, Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Grey Day Golgotha" (recipient of Juror's First Place Award) and "In the House of Caiaphas" were displayed.

-2004, Nov. 5, Nightscapes II, Salt Lake City, UT, "Leap of Faith" and "Rose of Sharon" were shown.

-2004, Spring, 80th Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Harvest" (Jurors' First Place Award) and "Angel" were shown.

-2003, November, Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "The Eleventh Hour" (recipient of Juror's Second Place Award) was displayed.

-2003, June 14 - July 11, Central South Art Exhibition, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, "Rose of Sharon" (recipient of the TN Art League Members Award and People's Choice Award) was displayed.

-2003, June - July, Genema Gallery, Atlanta, GA, "Leap of Faith" was shown.

-2003, March - September, Sixth International Art Competition, Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City, UT, "Son of Man" (Purchase Award winner) was shown.

-2002, September - October, Renaissance Center Juried Show, Dickson, TN, "Cherubim & A Flaming Sword" (recipient of the Award of Excellence and juried as the best in the media category of painting in the show) was shown.

-2002, June 22, Main Cross Street Gallery Opening Show, Nashville, TN

-2002, June 7 - 9, Visual Arts Alliance of Nashville Studio Tour, Watkins Institute and Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN

-2002, May, Heritage Foundation Historic Homes Tour, Nashville, TN, various original paintings by Kirk were shown in historic homes.

-2002, Jan. - May, Winter Olympics 150-Year Retrospective of Utah Artists Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, Kirk was the youngest of 220 Utah artists invited to participate.

-2001, Nov. 10, Visual Arts Alliance of Nashville Membership Exhibition, Watkins Institute, Nashville, TN, showed "Cherubim & A Flaming Sword."

-2001, June, Group Show, Art Front Gallery, Provo, UT, "Ox in the Mire" was shown.

-2000, November, Religious and Spiritual Art of Utah Fine Art Show, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Prodigal Son" (recipient of Director's Choice Award) and "Daughter of Jairus" (Purchase Award) were displayed.

-2000, Spring, 76th Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT, "Virtue Hath Gone Out of Me" was shown.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LICENSED IMAGES -2007, "The Greatest Teacher," written by Thomas Wayment, licensed use of "Suffer the Children" for the front cover.

-2008, "My Dear Sisters," Inspiration for Women from Gordon B. Hinckley, published by Covenant Communications, licensed use of "Harvest".

-2007, Volume 46, no. 3. BYU Studies, licensed use of "Laborers in the Vineyard" (front and back covers).

-2007, September Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "Paralytic."

-2007, April 30 and May 1, PBS Documentary, Helen Whitney Production, The Mormons: An American Experience/Frontline Special, licensed use of "Idea," "Grey Day Golgotha," "Joseph Smith, Jr.," and "Keepers of the City."

-2007, Volume 45, no. 3. BYU Studies, licensed use of "Carriers" on the front cover.

-2007, January Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "Paralytic," page 43.

-2006, December Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "Carriers," page 49.

-2006, Sweetwater Rescue: The Willie and Martin handcart Story, by Heidi Swinton and Lee Groberg, licensed use of "Carriers," page 103.

-2006, Beholding Salvation: The Life of Christ in Word and Image, by S. Kent Brown, Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, and Dawn C. Pheysey. Licensed use of "Baptism of Christ," page 24 and 26.

-2006, Images and Testimonies of the Living Christ, by Covenant Communications, Inc. Licensed use of "Son of Man," page 39 and of "Grey Day Golgotha," page 70-71.

-2006, The Holy Bible: New Testament, by Covenant Communications, Inc. Licensed use of "Grey Day Golgotha" page 250, "Zaccheus" pages 187-179, "The Lost Coin" page 166, "Suffer the Children" page 40.

-2003, March Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "Mother & Child (yellow)".

-2003, June Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "The Lost Coin," (commissioned by Elder Kent Jolley for his article entitled "The Lost Coin").

-2003, August Issue, Ensign Magazine, licensed use of the "The Five Prepared," back inside cover.

-2003, December Issue, Liahona Magazine, licensed use of the "Mother & Child (yellow)," front cover.

2003, Volume 42, no.s 3 & 4. BYU Studies, licensed use of "Son of Man" on the front cover.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RELATED ARTICLES

Still compiling.