Richard
Iams was born in 1950 in West Virginia,
near the borders of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
He attended Marietta College in southeastern
Ohio, intending to major in mathematics
until he was exposed to his first art class
as a sophomore. Initially, he considered
it just another avenue to explore, but exposure
to the works of artists such as John Singer
Sargent, Sidney Laurence, and Richard Schmid
brought forth the desire to learn and master
the fundamental disciplines of fine art.
While teaching junior high and community
college art courses for five years, Iams
wanted to have more time to paint. He moved
to Texas where he committed himself to painting
full-time. Although trained as a portrait
painter, he began using oils and painting
Texas landscapes, which launched his name
into the art world. In 1979, Iams moved
to Tucson, Arizona. It was here that Iams became known
as a Master Painter of the Grand Canyon.
Richard traveled from Alaska
to Africa, gathering as much painting subject
material as possible. It was while in Africa
that Iams expanded his landscape material
by also painting wildlife. Today, Iams'
home and studio, just east of Tucson, offer
him views of the four mountain ranges surrounding
the Tucson Valley.
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