Richard Mayhew facts for kids

Richard Mayhew (born April 3, 1924 – died September 26, 2024) was an American artist. He was famous for his landscape paintings. Richard Mayhew was also an illustrator and a teacher.

He had both African American and Native American heritage. His paintings often showed bright, abstract landscapes. These artworks were inspired by his background and his love for Jazz music and performing arts. He lived and worked in California for many years.

Richard Mayhew's Early Life and Art Journey

Richard Mayhew was born in Amityville, New York, on April 3, 1924. His father was of Montaukett and Shinnecock Native American descent. His mother had African American and Cherokee-Lumbee roots. He was officially a citizen of the Montaukett Indian Nation.

When he was young, his mother took him to New York City to see paintings. He was very inspired by the works of artist George Inness. As a teenager, he learned from James Willson, who was a medical illustrator.

Serving in the Military

Mayhew served in the United States Marines during World War II. He was part of the Montford Point Marines. He reached the rank of first sergeant. Later in life, he said his time in the military made him interested in studying many different subjects.

Learning and Creating Art

After the war, Mayhew studied art at several schools. He attended the Art Students League of New York. He also went to the Brooklyn Museum Art School from 1948 to 1959. He even took some classes at Columbia University.

In the late 1940s, he worked as a china decorator in New York. This is where he met his first wife, Dorothy Zuccarini.

From Jazz Singer to Painter

In the 1950s, Richard Mayhew was a Jazz singer. He performed in small clubs in New York City. But in 1955, he had his first solo art show in Brooklyn. After that, he decided to focus only on his painting.

In 1958, he won a special award called the John Hay Whitney Fellowship. This allowed him to travel to Europe with his family. In the 1960s, he also illustrated books for children.

The Spiral Art Group

Richard Mayhew was a founding member of a group called Spiral. This was a group of Black painters formed in New York in the 1960s. Famous artists like Romare Bearden and Charles Alston were also part of it.

The Spiral group started in 1963, after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was a place for artists to talk about their experiences during the Civil Rights movement. Mayhew was also a member of another group called the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition.

A Career in Teaching

For 14 years, Richard Mayhew taught at Pennsylvania State University. He started there in 1977 and retired in 1991. He taught art and also encouraged students to think across different subjects. He taught at many other schools across the United States too. He believed in combining art with other studies like sociology and anthropology.

Some of his students became successful artists themselves, like Beverly McIver.

Later Life and Exhibitions

In 2000, Mayhew moved to Soquel, California.

In 2009, a special exhibition of his work was held in New York City. This show traveled to three other places. In 2023, a new gallery in New York opened with an exhibition called "Richard Mayhew: Natural Order." It showed about twenty of his paintings. Later that year, the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art also held a large show of his work.

Richard Mayhew's art is displayed in many important museums. These include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Richard Mayhew's Family

Richard Mayhew was married twice. His first wife was artist Dorothy Zuccarini. They had two children, Ina Mayhew and Scott Mayhew. His second wife was Rosemary Gibbons.

Richard Mayhew passed away on September 26, 2024, at the age of 100.

Films About Richard Mayhew

See also

• List of African-American visual artists