Artist Richard Keen in the loft of his new Surry studio, with multiple paintings in progress that range in size from 28 x 30 in. up to 48 x 60 in.
Last fall I made a pivotal shift by selling my commercial diving business and choosing to pursue life as a full-time artist. This decision wasn’t just a career move; it was a redefinition of my daily work, income security, and sense of identity. In the months leading up to the change, several family deaths sharpened my awareness of how precious time is, intensifying my resolve to use it in service of my art and purpose. Coming from a blue-collar family, where I started working at age 14, this shift has been loaded with anxiety related to being an equal financial contributor to my family. My wife Heather’s unwavering support provided the encouragement I needed to take the leap, turning fear into a collaborative, forward-looking step and helping me move from planning to action.
During this transition, I am reflecting on how the physical move mirrors an internal shift in my creative outlook. The anticipation of working in a new space is energizing, and I am eager to see how my new studio’s unique character, and the change in location, may influence the direction of my paintings. This period marks an exciting threshold—one where change fosters new ideas, deeper investigation, and a renewed commitment to artistic growth.
This move will significantly influence my painting practice. Having spent 25 years in Midcoast Maine, where both my personal and professional experiences shaped my artistic direction, relocating further up the coast into a new community—without the presence of my dive business—marks a pivotal change. I anticipate that this shift will heighten my focus on themes such as place, memory, and the interaction between natural and constructed environments. My recent work suggests an increasing emphasis on bold color, geometric forms, and tactile engagement with materials, reflecting a willingness to incorporate new influences from my local and regional surroundings. Furthermore, this move is likely to afford me more dedicated time for my art career, fostering deeper studio research, experimentation with acrylic mediums, and the pursuit of more ambitious projects as I continue to refine my practice.
Throughout this period, I have frequently had to clarify that my decision to sell my diving business at age 53 did not equate to retirement, despite common assumptions. In reality, pursuing a career as an artist involves significant effort and dedication. It is far more than simply entering a studio to paint or create; establishing a professional presence in the art world requires managing numerous responsibilities concurrently. For 40 years, I balanced these artistic pursuits alongside a separate occupation. Now, I am able to devote additional time not only to producing artwork, but also to cultivating relationships, engaging in marketing and social media, documenting processes, writing, responding to inquiries, listening, and maintaining active engagement within the community.
Recently, my work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at Moss Galleries, Anita Rogers Gallery, the Midwest Museum of American Art and Courthouse Gallery highlighting my evolving abstract style and sense of place. I’ve also engaged in collaborative and public-facing projects that expand the conversation around abstraction, landscape, and perception. These experiences have reinforced the value of presenting work that invites viewers to interpret and imagine, while continuing to push my own boundaries through new series, public art, and experimental media explorations within painting.