User:Richmondgarrick

Richmond Garrick was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He graduated with a Division Two Higher Teachers Certificate in Art from Milton Margai Teachers College in 1988 in Sierra Leone. He taught Art at two of the top secondary schools, St Joseph’s Secondary School and the Annie Walsh Memorial School where he prepared students to take Art at both ordinary and advanced level exam. Mr Garrick continued his professional life as an artist in Sierra Leone, by exhibiting his paintings in a group show in 1988 at the American Ambassadors residence under the patronage of Ambassador Perry of the United States who was also an artist. Later, Mr Garrick had a one man show at the Sierra leone Museum, formally opened by U.S. Ambassador, Johnny Young in 1991.

Mr Garrick left Sierra Leone in 1991 during the civil war. While here in the United States, Mr Garrick continued to pursue his passion for the arts and received an Associate Degree In Advertising Graphics from Middlesex County College where he is now an Adjunct Professor. He later received his Bachelors in Fine Arts from Montclair State University and his Masters Degree in Fine Arts from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts. While at Montclair State University, Mr Garrick won the Carpe Diem Award, Student Citation Award, School of the Arts Advisory Board Award & the Larjos Markos Award for Representational Art to pursue a trip to Italy and experience the masters in 1998. He was also commissioned to do a Mural approximately 8ft X 10ft Mural at Floyd Arena at Montclair State University to commemorate the opening of the arena by Governor Christine Todd Whitman. At Rutgers, he also won the Bettenbender Highest Artistic Achievement Award in the masters program in 2002. Mr Garrick has also been nominated for outstanding teacher’s award in his district. He recently received the 2009 Encore Award from South Jersey Cultural Alliance.

Since graduating, Mr Garrick has been teaching at Williamstown High School where he has developed the Graphic Design program attracting a lot of students signing up for the course. The program now has three teachers teaching graphic design full time with two labs. He continues to exhibit his art professionally in museums and galleries. Mr Garrick has been recognized in the art community for his unique style and his aesthetic journey through the psychology of pain and human indignation. His work is a political testimony of the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Mr Garrick is presently working on his 25 Ball point pen drawings of Historic African Americans who laid the foundation for humanity. Visit Richmond Garrick on www.richmondgarrick.com.