Artist Highlight: Richard Knight

by
Urban Ecology
Center
September 10, 2024

UEC community

Riverside Park

We have posed a few questions for Richard Knight, the artist whose work is currently on view downstairs in our Community Room.

We look forward to seeing what you've created next!

Keep reading to learn Richard's view on art and the UEC.

Model for Arc installation at UEC

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What do you hope people leave with after engaging with your work?

I like being a part of the whole UEC experience. For me it’s so much about seeing something for the first time as well as seeing something familiar but in a different way. I hope people come away with a shared awareness of my studio efforts and UEC’s mission. 

Trail along the Milwaukee River

Do you have any personal values that you follow when taking part in the creative process?

Tending gardens and hiking the Greenway Trails foster a strong sense of place for me. Both offer the benefits of clearing my mind while sharpening my perceptions, which are vital tools for any kind of work you might do.

Where do you find your work starting to really interact and adopt themes in nature? 

Since the ecology of this area includes so much infrastructure and cultural material (people living!), it can be a challenge to experience nature undisturbed. It is hard to feel the reciprocation between the wild and unruly greenspaces and the loud and messy city life. Both can be seen as  intrusions on the other.  I want to acknowledge the vitality of this coexistence by finding ways to represent the integration of the urban environment and the natural landscape.

Mantel installation at UEC

What’s the most playful piece you’ve ever made?

I made this twelve inch tall sculpture some time ago, and it's called Go! Dog! Go!, a kids book by P.D. Eastman. I made a much larger version, but it didn’t have the same charm. Serious play is an artful balance.

Go! Dog! Go! 4x4x12 in. painted canvas covered wood blocks and wheels

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"River Notes" is a second installment featuring recent black walnut ink drawings. The exhibition runs through Saturday, January 25th, ending with a closing reception from 1:00-3:00 PM

Urban Ecology Center
Center
Past Employee
Guest Author

At the Urban Ecology Center, we connect people in cities to nature and each other.

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