Born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1934, Richard showed an early passion for art—so constant that a second-grade teacher once called his mother to report he was “literally drawing all the time.”

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He earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1962) and an MFA from Syracuse University (1964). After teaching at Oklahoma State University (1965–1969), he joined The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Art, where he taught for more than four decades, retiring in 2016.

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As an educator, Richard inspired generations to think critically and see differently. He preferred questions over lectures, roaming studios, and challenging students with probing, often contrarian observations that encouraged artistic honesty.

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Richard’s love of art extended beyond the classroom. He loved Shakespeare and traveled in Europe, drawn to Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Chartres Cathedral, with its stained glass, was a favorite destination.

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As a painter, Richard created large-scale abstract works built from countless layers of oil paint, inches thick. Though deeply self-critical and rarely exhibiting, he participated in the Atelier 2008 exhibition at the Blanton Museum of Art.

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He lived as he taught—engaged in reflection, open to rigorous conversation, and welcoming disagreement as a path to insight. His influence spread far beyond his close circle through the thousands of students he taught.