American, b. 1936
Richard Haas is an American painter known for his use of trompe l’oeil techniques to create illusionistic murals of architectural features. Born on August 29, 1936 in Spring Green, WI, his early experience assisting his uncle (a stonemason), on one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings, made a profound impact on Haas. He went on to receive a BS from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and an MFA from the University of Minnesota.
Moving to New York in 1968, he spent several years painting abstractions on canvas before altering his practice and producing accurate drawings of architectural details. In 1975, the artist painted his first outdoor mural or a cast-iron facade at the corner of Prince Street and Greene Street in Manhattan. Over the years, he has painted hundreds of murals across the country, including the Oregon Historical Society in Portland and the main branch of the New York Public Library.
Haas’s awards include the 1983 Guggenheim Fellowship, the 1987 National Endowment for the Arts Award, the 2003 Westchester Arts Council Artist Award, the 2005 Jimmy Ernst Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the 2015 Clinedinst Award, The Artist Fellowship, Inc. Haas continues to live in New York, NY, but often travels to produce his murals.
Moving to New York in 1968, he spent several years painting abstractions on canvas before altering his practice and producing accurate drawings of architectural details. In 1975, the artist painted his first outdoor mural or a cast-iron facade at the corner of Prince Street and Greene Street in Manhattan. Over the years, he has painted hundreds of murals across the country, including the Oregon Historical Society in Portland and the main branch of the New York Public Library.
Haas’s awards include the 1983 Guggenheim Fellowship, the 1987 National Endowment for the Arts Award, the 2003 Westchester Arts Council Artist Award, the 2005 Jimmy Ernst Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the 2015 Clinedinst Award, The Artist Fellowship, Inc. Haas continues to live in New York, NY, but often travels to produce his murals.
