Works in Watercolor by Randy Eckard and Richard H. Eyster

Richard Boyd Art Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of a two-person exhibition of exquisitely detailed drybrush watercolor paintings by nationally renowned, award-winning watercolorists Randy Eckard and Richard H. Eyster. The exhibit demonstrates the artistic mastery of both men and showcases the stunning beauty of drybrush watercolor painting a classical technique in which water-soluble pigments are used directly with or mixed with a minimum of water to create paintings with great precision and beauty.

Drybrush watercolor painting is noted for its use of translucent pigments. Oil paints offer outstanding detail but due to their opaque nature reveal only the final layer of paint. Conventional watercolors hide nothing, so each luminous layer remains visible through the others, offering luminosity but limited detail and crisp realism.

While difficult to master, drybrush watercolor painting offers the best of both worlds. Its rich pigmentation allows for extraordinary detail and luminosity while its natural water solubility creates glowing, flowing layers of translucent color.

If you love watercolor paintings don't miss this amazing exhibition showcasing two masters of the medium opening June 1st at 11:00 a.m.

About The Artists

Randy Eckard is known for his incredibly realistic watercolor paintings and captivating use of light and shadow with the subject of most of his paintings being light and how it defines and shapes the scene before him. His realistic traditional style watercolor paintings depict the timeless beauty and charm of Maine's architecture and landscapes.

"I'm closing in on forty years of working with watercolors. For several years I was fascinated by the versatility and wonder of drawing with pencil, and pen and ink. An HB pencil, a kneaded eraser, and a sheet of Bristol board opened up a world or exploration in black and white. At the urging of a friend I tried adding watercolor to the early stages of my drawings, and I was soon painting more than drawing. My love of drawing never diminished and continues with quite detailed drawings in preparation for painting.

Living on the dramatic coastline of Downeast Maine has inspired my artistic journey for many years. Andrew Wyeth's drawings, watercolors, and tempera paintings have influenced my approach as a painter. Learning about Wyeth's drybrush and glazing techniques allowed me to merge my passion for drawing with watercolor."

Raised in North Carolina, Randy studied at the Haywood School of Craft in North Carolina, and the Ringling School of Art in Florida. Now based in Blue Hill, Maine, his career as a fine artist specializing in watercolors spans over three decades.

Randy has won over 200 awards for his paintings in watercolor throughout New England and the Southeast, winning two top awards: Best of Show, and 1st place In Watercolor at the January 2023 Beaux Arts Festival in Coral Gables, Florida. His work is widely collected and included in numerous private and corporate collections.

Richard Hannaford Eyster is a widely respected painter who approaches a variety of subjects with the lustrous precision available through dry-brush watercolor. Because the pigments retain their translucence, it is possible to develop a subtle, almost magical glow by laying down rich layers of color.

Working with Kolinsky sable brushes and an absolute minimum of water, the pigment dries quickly and deeply on heavy archival French paper, allowing layers of rich luminous color to emerge through the image with sharp defining detail. The finely detailed work invested in each painting often consumes three to five months.

For his more photorealistic representational nature studies, he is drawn outward toward bountiful, microstudies of nature like the quiet decay of leaves along a November forest floor. A single leaf might take a week for the precise layering of color. Whether conveying a leaf or frost on the ground, the work is built on a deep and evocative power.

Eyster is also irrevocably drawn to a darker, quirkier, and more personal realm. These paintings are primarily photo-surrealistic, illuminating the most personal explorations in carefully detailed imagery. There is no ostensible "meaning" to his paintings…the symbolism, if any, is unintentional and, at best, subconscious. He recognizes that many artists are able to work with a great consistency of subject matter - but has long recognized that he is not one of them.

One notable painting from this latter collection of works in his Uneasy Truce Studio includes a commuter train made out of scarlet toasters, transporting slices of bread on their way to work. This collection is also the source of some of his most deeply unsettling works like a paranoic vision of homeowners arriving on their porches as a mob gathers in the distant darkness.

His most recent exploration is in the abstract realm of "crazy kaleidoscopic color which is playfully unorthodox, but richly satisfying."

It is the rare collector of his work that is drawn toward the naturalistic and the far more personal realm. It is for this reason that he generally channels his work through two very different studios. Richard's paintings have been shown in the National Arts Club (NY), the American Watercolor Society at the Salmagundi Club (NY), and National Academy of Design (NY). His paintings are exhibited throughout the Northeast and held in numerous private and public collections.

About Richard Boyd Art Gallery

Richard Boyd Art Gallery is an award-winning owner operated fine art gallery celebrating creativity and diversity. The gallery features a stunning array of visual art created by a diverse group of artists and provides a welcoming space for art lovers to explore, learn, and enjoy original works of visual art.

This stunning exhibition of exquisitely rendered watercolor paintings is on view free of charge from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily through June 28, 2025. For more information about the exhibit contact the gallery by phone (207)-712-1097, email info@richardboydartgallery.com or visit the gallery's website www.richardboydartgallery.com .

During the months of April through October the Gallery is open free of charge between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. From November through the end of March the Gallery is open free of charge between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Additional days and times can be scheduled by appointment.

For weekly news and updates like the gallery on Facebook at Https://www.facebook.com/RichardBoydArtGallery and follow on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/richardboydartgallery9327 . To receive the galleries monthly news letter via email please send your email address to info@richardboydartgallery.com . Thank you.