Artist Talk: R. Keith Randolph

Join us for a conversation with watercolor artist R. Keith Randolph, whose work will be featured in the library's hallway exhibit from December 15th through January 15th. We will hear from Keith about his artistic process, including what inspires his creativity and how he creates his watercolor paintings. Keith will then lead the group in a tour of the pieces he selected for the hallway exhibit. There will also be time for attendees to ask questions during this interactive session.

“I want people to pause, to take a second look at the unexpected, overlooked parts of our landscape, and find beauty.” - R. Keith Randolph

Artist Statement

I want my art to compel people to notice simple, everyday things around them that they may have overlooked or disregarded—a weed growing between cracks in a sidewalk, a horny toad sunbathing on a rock, a clove of garlic on the kitchen counter. I want people to see and appreciate unexpected beauty.

I’m trained as a scientist to observe, to inspect, to pay attention to detail. I pick my subject matter from nature—I’m inspired by the function an object has that’s specific to that exact place at that exact moment. It can be anything: a leaf on a tree, a blossom on a flower, a creature in a field.

Before I put brush to paper, I have a mental picture of the image I want to produce. I begin with the end in mind and plan the technique, the sequence, and the steps I’ll take to get there.

The scientist in me likes to experiment. I make my own pigments from rose petals, wine, coffee, tea. It’s fun to see what emerges when you use natural substances. It’s beautiful and unique. Using nature to paint nature.

Short Bio

A native Texan, Keith has lived and worked in the South, the mid-Atlantic coast, New England, the Midwest, California, and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio. Keith is a scientist by profession, an artist and teacher at heart. He explores the intersection of science and art following their convergence as concurrent lifelong pursuits.

The subject matter of Keith's painting tends toward things in the natural world. He began his exploration of watercolor art 40 years ago with studies of wildflowers, fruits and vegetables, a range of botanicals, wildlife, still life scenes, and landscapes. Across this band of subject matter, Keith has explored a range of styles from sharply focused, detailed realism to soft and fluid impressions.