Paul Richmond Blog

I am currently digging up research all about “Gay Days” and wacky amusement parks/carnivals as I develop my upcoming solo show, “Gay Day at Paulyworld,” which opens on June 4 at the Center on Halsted Gallery in Chicago. I can’t wait to celebrate Pride Month in Boystown with this exhibit! Currently, I’m working on a self-portrait in which I’m flying through the air on a carousel-peacock waving a paintbrush and sprinkling gay magic on the city below. I’ll be sharing the progress of this and all the other new work in the coming weeks, so check back soon for a sneak-peek at the growing list of attractions in my fantasy theme park...

I just received word that my painting Noah’s Gay Wedding Cruise was accepted into next month’s OUTAuction in NYC benefitting GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). The event, showcasing GLAAD’s Top 100 Artists of 2009, is an annual fundraiser for the organization. I was thrilled to be selected, and I hope the event is a huge success! Here’s a link to more details: GLAAD .

The website I’m From Driftwood, which presents “true stories by gay people from all over,” posted a story I wrote when I was fifteen about my adventures in Dollywood (meeting the great lady herself!). I'm thrilled that fourteen years later, my teenage dream of getting it published has come true. Check it out here: DRIFTWOOD .

There's a great article in this month's edition of DNA Magazine about gay art, and I'm honored to have my work included. If you'd like to purchase a copy, click HERE . Here's an excerpt: What is gay art? What role does it play in the wider artistic landscape? Is it possible to separate gay identity from artistic expression? Joseph Brennan profiles some of the world’s most renowned gay artists to explore these issues... ...Ohio’s Paul Richmond paints openly about sexuality, particularly his own. Believing others may see glimpses of their lives through his canvasses, his art deals with issues of coming out (Not Just A Closet) and sexual awakening as otherworldly. In Rocket Boy, for example, he paints a story of his sexual awakening as a fourth grader with The Little Mermaid’s Prince Eric standing on a suburban rooftop as rockets fall short of the universe above. His Cheesecake Boys series, with its clean cut men caught in all kinds of tight places – quite frequently

What is the strongest shape? Why a triangle, of course...specifically, a looooooove triangle. Hope there's enough to go around! The Strongest Shape will be released next month by Dreamspinner Press . Here's my original sketch for the cover art:

I finished two new novel covers for Dreamspinner Press over the weekend -- “Broken” by Dawn Kimberly Johnson and “The One That Got Away” by Rhianne Aile and Madeleine Urban. My friends Brian and Tony were kind enough to pose for the reference photos for “Broken,” but I was left to my own devices for the other which resulted in a creepily narcissistic Photoshop montage with two versions of myself (note: photo reference not posted here because it’s just too weird).

I’m excited to have illustrated another story for the website I’m From Driftwood, which showcases a collection of “true stories by gay people from all over.” Brian Schaefer’s touching story, “I’m From Pasadena, CA,” recounts a memorable experience at camp (and gave me the opportunity to make my first same-sex kiss illustration!). Check it out here: I’M FROM PASADENA .

I had a great time at the Big Gay Art Show this past weekend at Junctionview Studios in Grandview, Ohio. Kudos to Devon Palmer for organizing a fantastic show to benefit the important work of Kaleidoscope Youth Center . Devon tells me that he’s planning to hold the show again next year with a more state-wide presence and the following year on a national scale. Can’t wait! Here are a few of our pics from the evening (click HERE to see more):  Me with Devon Palmer, Junctionview artist and event organizer With Tony Brost, friend and fabulous cover art model for some of my recent projects With my honey, Denni s With Jim Warren and Linda Regula (my childhood mentor and inspiration)