Born and raised in Baltimore County, Maryland by his parents Richard and Adele, Rich is the oldest of three children. Unlike his sister, Carrie, and brother, Andrew, who early on found their talents and success through athletics, Rich found his through imagination, creativity, and a pencil.
At the age of 12, Rich was introduced to the works of graphic novelist, Alex Ross and movie poster illustrator, Drew Struzan. Their portrayal of stylized characters and realism were an inspiration to Rich. After noticing his talents, Rich enrolled at the Lutherville Art Institute. For several years Rich would attend evening classes learning forms, lighting, blending, perspective and rendering the human figure. Although he found the first few years challenging, Rich’s dedication to refining his technique was strengthened by each new portfolio which showed his talents becoming stronger.
As he entered high school, Rich found himself drawing every day. Through the tutelage of his longtime instructor, Victor Janishefski, Rich continued to advance his skills and knowledge in other art mediums. In the four years that followed, Rich would receive Honorable Mention for the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Award and a Congressional Citation from former Congressman Bob Ehrlich, Jr. His talents and acknowledgments quickly caught the attention of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and earned him early admissions into their advanced placement program.
The vicissitudes of his passion for the arts occurred around the end of his junior year upon his experience working in public service. While serving in county government, Rich was captivated by the world of politics and public service. This growing interest found its way into his artwork, inspiring many socially themed pieces throughout his final year at MICA. Following his graduation from MICA in 2000, Rich pursued his dream of attending law school. After obtaining his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, he returned to Maryland and began his career in public service.
Whether through his art or through his current government affairs position at Towson University, Rich remains committed to positively influencing his community and those around him.
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