Background
Pionk, Richard Cletus was born on April 26, 1936 in Minnesota, United States. Son of Franz E. Spielmann and Esther (Dufrane) Pionk.
Pionk, Richard Cletus was born on April 26, 1936 in Minnesota, United States. Son of Franz E. Spielmann and Esther (Dufrane) Pionk.
Pionk studied classical still-life painting by spending hours in museums. He studied still-life painting in the Brooklyn Museum and other New York museums as well as the École du Louvre in Paris. Pionk studied the works of Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Antoine Vollon, and Henri Fantin-Latour in particular.
He was educated in New York at The Art Students League of New York on scholarships and the G.I. Bill."
Born in Moose Lake, Minnesota, Pionk studied with Daniel Green and Sidney Dickinson at the Art Students League of New New York
In 1984, he was named Master ist by the The Society of America and in 1997 was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He taught at the Art Students League and was President of the Salmagundi Club. Pionk garnered many awards for his work.
He was best known for his still life, portraits and interior scenes in oil and pastel."
Richard C. Pionk, "Grapes and Pears", Oil on Canvas
Richard C. Pionk held memberships with the following organizations:
Salmagundi Club
Art Students League
Society of America - Trustee
Allied Artists of America - Board of Directors
Hudson Valley Art Association
Knickerbocker Art Association
Artist Fellowship – Trustee
National Arts Club
Audubon Artists – Trustee
American Artists Professional League
Dutch Treat Club
is an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder.
The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all colored art media, including oil paints. The binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation.
The color effect of pastels is closer to the natural dry pigments than that of any other process.
Member Pastel Society of America (1st vice president 1978-1991, exhibition chairman since 1978, master pastellist, Hall of Fame 1997), Allied Artists American (board directors 1986-1991, assistant correspondent secretary since 1986), Audubon Artists (juror since 1989), Artists Fellowship Inc. (board directors since 1988), National Arts Club (Art Spirit Silver medal 2005), Salmagundi Club (member curators committee, chairman art committee since 1981, president since 1994), Dutch Treat Club.