Artist Richard VanOver - Short Bio
Richard is presently, Director and Curator for his Non Profit Gallery VANOVER FINE ARTS, INC., which opened Nov 2010 in Springville, NY. He is a full time artist and occasionally works freelances as a sculptor.
2006 Richard partnered with Ben Goresky to start Vinyl Toy Network (VTN) an Annual Designer Vinyl Convention in Pasadena, CA.
After his several years in the entertainment industry as a special effects and Toy sculptor, Richard opened Wheaty Wheat Studios, in Los Angeles, CA, a toy prototyping company and well known producer of Designer Vinyl Art Toys, along with life size and larger than life theater/store displays, such as Kung Fu Panda and Spiderman.
Richard ran the company from its inception in 2001 until it’s close in 2009. He produced Designer Vinyl Toys for and worked with well-known Artists such as John Kricfalusi, Scott Campbell, Joe Ledbetter, Katie Olivas, Christopher Lee and Andrew Bell.
Richard’s products and personal pieces have been featured in many Art book, magazine publications Dot Dot Dash, I am Plastic, MTV Toys - New Designs from the Art Revolution, Full Vinyl and Clutter magazine to name a few, as well as TV shows, music videos and DVD’s.
1999 Richard worked for Gentle Giant Studios in Los Angeles, CA a toy prototyping company, as a sculptor. He quickly became a Lead Toy sculptor/Senior Image Archives Controller/ Department Head of life size projects) for the company. Creating the full size version of Sully and Mike from Monsters Inc. for theaters and Toy R Us stores. Richard along with the owner of Gentle Giant Studios present a set of the full size figures to Pixar Studio in Emeryville, CA.
In 1998 Richard was hired by Disney Imagineering as a sculptor, he soon became a lead sculptor working on featured sculptures for Port Discovery and Indiana Jones Tokyo, Disney and several Disneyland featured sculptures.
In between jobs Richard worked as a freelance sculptor, Sculpting 13’ Ark doors for Stephen S. Wise Temple Los Angles, CA and a Greek Relief 8’ x 5’ Greek relief bronze for Barbra Streisand’s mantle.
He also worked as a special effects sculptor on such movies as Blade, Dogma, Three Kings and Stir of Echoes. Working for Doug White and Tony Gardner. He also worked on countless commercials at this time
In 1996 Richard Moved to California where he became involved in sculpting large pieces for theme parks at Lexington Scenery and Props. He was a lead life size and over sized sculptor.
In 1995 Richard was the curator for a show called ‘Horsehead A Celebration of
Sculpture’ that featured local Cleveland and Seattle based artists.
During college Richard and fellow CIA students founded the guerilla art group ART WITHOUT WALLS, Cleveland, which curated group shows throughout Ohio, PA and NY.
Richard was educated at Cleveland Institute of Art, as a Fine Arts painter. Well attending CIA Richard studied painting under Op Art pioneer, Julian Stanczak. Richard also attended Video Symphony studying 3D modeling and animation and Glendale Community College where he studied 2D Animation under animation master Fred Crippen.
Richard’s most recent art shows:
2009 The Custom Yoka Show Pasadena, CA (traveled the around the US)
2008 Gwin Custom Show -Long Beach, CA
2008 Elements Custom Show - LA, CA
2006 Sneaker Pimps Show Aerosol Warfare, Houston, TX
2006 BB Birdy Custom show – Munky King, LA, CA
2005 MADL 2K5 Show (Curator and artist) LA, CA
