UNAVAILABLE Richard Dempsey (1909 – 1987)

Abstract Expressionist painter Richard Dempsey was born in 1909 in Utah. After studying in San Francisco for nearly 10 years, he continued his studies under prominent African American sculptor Sergeant Claude Johnson. Dempsey later became a participant in the Harlem Renaissance, in which he felt it his goal to reconstruct the painting language to include an African American aesthetic. By the 1950s throughout the early 80s, Dempsey frequently traveled between and exhibited in Haiti, Jamaica, and Mexico, perfecting his expressive style.

Whether it was on American soil or in Jamaica, Richard Dempsey was a proponent for freedom and identity. Watercolors from the Jamaica, Mexico, North Carolina, and Other Series features paintings that not only served a personal, emotional agenda for the artist but a cultural service as well. Pulsating through each watercolor painting is a spiritual brilliance and controlled chaos, illustrating the tumultuous point in history in which Dempsey lived.

Watercolors mark one of the first-ever exhaustive looks into Dempsey’s works. In 78 pages, a biography, select paintings analysis, and exhibition chronology are provided. With more than 100 full-color representations, 24 pages are allocated to full-page representations. This catalog is surely a valued addition to any art enthusiast’s collection.