Richard Carlyon

Melissa (from Nonesuch) has e-mailed to say that local artist Richard Carlyon has passed away. Carlyon was a long-time VCU professor, not sure how long ago he retired. I've never met him and don't know much about his work, but it is my understanding that he was an extremely well-respected artist and teacher.

Here is an excerpt from a Richard Carlyon testimonial I've found on-line, written by former student Carol Sutton, and which pre-dates his death -

"One of my great teachers was Richard Carlyon at RPI, now called VCU. Mr. Carlyon opened the door to art history for me. He taught me to seek an art full of purpose and feeling.

Richard Carlyon always impressed me with his razor sharp mind and insights into art history. I remember his vast personal art library, his love for books and learning. The dedication that he gave to his art, painting and drawing. I remember his great sense of line and his bold shapes, his great drawings. What a great and intense time. Students lined up for and packed his art history lectures, which often were in such demand that it was standing room only if you arrived a bit late."

Another former student, now living in California, has posted an obituary on his blog -

"I received notice yesterday that Richard Carlyon passed away recently. Anyone who went to school with me will remember Mr. Carlyon as an incredibly animated and highly heady professor at Virginia Commonwealth. He was of great inspiration to me and taught two of my favorite classes while I attended VCU. His Abstract Expressionism class brought understanding to an incredibly illusive mode of painting that I have come to appreciate much more. He also taught a class called Conceptual Thinking that had us creating things like Comic Books with no pictures and the like."

Melissa says that Nonesuch will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday) for funeral services but that she would like to invite those of you who knew and loved Richard to join her at Nonesuch at 7pm for a toast of wine in his honor. Bring your memories and stories to share with the wine. Nonesuch will have regular Wednesday movie night after that, around 8pm or so. January is Uncomfortable Movie Night.