Portfolio
ricconn.com
Ric Conn Artists’ Statement
I am an internationally acclaimed, award winning expressionist artist. Picasso said that art is not to adorn walls, it is a weapon—I follow his mantra. I am using my work as a weapon.
My work confronts social problems, such as women’s equality and empowerment, drug problems mental health, with the aim to bring awareness.
ricconn
Fine Artist & Creative Director
My work is concerned not with objective reality but rather the emotionsobjects and events arouse within a person, reactions—positive or negative—especially the understanding of the self within the viewer. I deal with relevant social issues, equality, empowerment and psychological conditions. Distortion, exaggeration, and fantasythe filters through which I paint the modern world.
I believe in equality and I want my work to reflect that. My work is different—it is not conventional, academic, or even the new modernism. I am creating a new avant-garde.I am an internationally known award winning expressionist artist; inspired mostly by Toulouse-Lautrec, Edvard Munch, Picasso, Matisse and the German Expressionists.
Latest Project
Moonshine
Bio
Ric is a New York based international award winning expressionist artist; creating paintings that reflect relevant social issues.
Ric has had many solo and group shows in Baltimore, Columbia, Annapolis, Frederick, Stevensville, and Centreville MD; Washington, D.C.; Manhattan and Chelsea, New York City, and Milan Italy.
He has been featured in articles in several newspapers, and magazines in the United States and Europe, including “Art Tour International Magazine,” "Art in America's issue on galleries and artists in America, Toscana Cultura Magazine in Italy and interviewed on podcasts, on television, both local and network.
Ric has been named "Master of Contemporary Art 2020, 2022, 2023," “Artist of the Decade 2010-2020,” and “Artivist (artist/activist) of the year 2019 and 2020 and Emerald Artivist 2021and 2022” by Art Tour International Magazine. Additionally he has been in their summer, autumn and winter issues (front and back cover artist), and in American Art Collector. He was awarded the Artist of the Future, Power of Creativity and Collector’s Vision International Art Awards by Contemporary Art Curator magazine. Ric has also been inducted into Who’s Who in America; being awarded their Humanitarian Award .
He recently won the Leonardo Da Vinci International art award; the Caravaggio International Art Award, the Olympic Art Award, the Best Modern and Contemporary Art Award and the International Prize for Artistic Value, and Man of the Year.
He has paintings in private collections throughout the United States and Australia.
Exhibitions
Open Studio
Amsterdam Whitney International Art Gallery
Amsterdam Whitney International Art Gallery
Exhibition, Grimandi Fine Art Gallery
Exhibition, Grimandi Fine Art Gallery
Exhibition, Grimandi Fine Art Gallery
Exhibition, Grimandi Fine Art Gallery
Solo Exhibition, Grimandi Fine Art Gallery
Cannes Film Festival, 2023
Auction
Exhibition, Crossroads Center
Spectrum Art Fair
Strokes of Genius Exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art 2019
Sheroes—Celebration of Women Exhibition, Viviana Puello Fine Art Gallery,
New York, 2019
Roots Exhibition, Featured Artist, Viviana Puello Fine Art Gallery, 2019
David Jones Gallery Group Show, Kansas City Missouri, 2019
Group Show Amsterdam Whitney Fine Art Gallery, New York 2017, 2018, 2019
Artfest; Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts; April 2017
Artfest; Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts; April 2016
Animals Wild and Domestic art show, Queen Anne’s County Arts Council; 2016
Instructor Showcase, Queen Anne’s County Arts Council; 2016
The Human Form; Kent Island Federation of Art; February 2016
Chestertown Wildlife Festival, 2010
Members Best Exhibit, Queen Anne’s Arts Council; 2010
Solo show; Maryland Federation of Art; 2010
Fall Members Juried Show, Maryland Federation Of Art; Fall 2010
Solo show; Kent Island Federation of Art; 2010
Spring Members Juried Show, Maryland Federation Of Art; Spring 2010
Artists’ Melange; Maryland Federation of Art; 2010
Open Judged Show; Kent Island Federation of Art; 2010
Queen Anne’s County Arts Council, 2009
Venus and Mars—2 person show; Kent Island Federation of Art; 2009
Members’ Exhibition; Academy Art Museum; 2009
2nd Anniversary Exhibition; Towson Arts Collective; 2009
Spirit of the Chesapeake; Kent Island Federation of Art; 2009
Chesapeake College Art Show; 2009
Member Showcase; Maryland Federation of Art; 2009
Baltimore’s Fashion Week; 2008
Member Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2008
The Fine Art of Food Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2008
Member Show, Academy Art Museum; 2008
Faces and Figures Show, Towson Arts Collective; 2008
Lottery Show, Maryland Federation Of Art; 2008
Winter Challenge Art Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2008
Member Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2007
Fall Members Juried Show, Maryland Federation Of Art; November 2007
Fall Challenge Art Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2007
Members Best Exhibit, Queen Anne’s Arts Council; 2007
Chesapeake College Art Show; 2007
Rock the Dock Festival; 2007
Wine, Cheese and Art event; 2007
Member Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2007
Member Show, Academy Art Museum; 2007
Goldman & Minton Law Offices; 2007
Members Best Exhibit, Queen Anne’s Arts Council; 2006
Member Show, Academy Art Museum; 2006
Bay Country Festival; 2006
Member Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; 2006
One Man Show, Kent Island Federation of Art; April 2005
Maryland Federation of Art Wall to Wall show; 2005
Maryland Federation of Art Member show; 2005
Members Best Exhibit, Queen Anne’s Arts Council; 2004
SoWeBo Art Festival; 2004
Healing Path Art Event; 2004
Maryland Federation of Art Member show; 2004
Bowie Arts Expo; 2002
Two Man Show, Timonium; 2002
Kensington Art Fair; 2002
Bowie Arts Expo; 2001
Kensington Art Fair; 2001
Bowie Arts Expo; 2000
Contributing Artist, Historical Calendar; Southern Maryland Historical Society; 2000
Awards
Honors and Awards
Inducted into Who’s Who in America
Humanitarian Award, Who’s Who
Manof the Year
Top 100 Business Men
Artist of the Decade, 2010-2020, Art Tour International Magazine
Artivist of the Year, 2019, Art Tour International Magazine
Top 60 Master of Contemporary Art, 2020, 022, 2023, 2024
Best Artist in Stevensville award 2019
Award of Merit—Queen Anne’s Country Arts Council Open Show; 2016
Honorable Mention—Gouache, Queen Anne’s County Arts Council, 2014
First Place—Oil; Kent Island Federation of Art; Open Show 2012
Third Place—Oil; Kent Island Federation of Art; Member Show 2011
Honorable Mention—Gouache; Members’ Winter Juried Show; Maryland Federation of Art, 2011
Best in Show—Oil; Kent Island Federation of Art; Open Show 2010
Award of Merit—Oil; Maryland Federation of Art; Juried Member Show 2009
Honorable Mention—Gouache; The Human Form; Kent Island
Federation of Art, 2009
Honorable Mention—Gouache; The Fine Art of Food;
Kent Island Federation of Art, 2008
Second Place—Oil/Acrylic; Chesapeake College Art Show; 2007
Second Place—Oil/Acrylic; Kent Island Federation of Art; Members Show 2006
Honorable Mention— Mixed Media; Kent Island Federation of Art; Members
Show 2006
Face of Queen Anne’s County Medal—Kent Island Federation of Art; Members
Show 2006
Interviews—Publications
Art Tour International
Arts 4 You video interview, Art Tour International, Manhattan Neighborhood TV.
Delmarva Almanac Video Interview:
http://delmarva-almanac.com/index.php/content/article/ric_conn/
Voices and Visions
Tidewater Trader
The Artists Book
Interview; Prince George’s County cable television channel; October 2002
Interview; Prince George’s County cable television channel; October 2001
Bowie Blade; October 3, 2002
Gallery Representation
Amsterdam Whitney International Art Gallery, New York, NewYork
M.A.D.S. Art Gallery, Barcelona Spain