Artist Series: Richard Wambach
Richard “Dick” Wambach brings the Hudson Valley to life with two felt tip markers, 90# paper, and deep love for the region.
We are so exited to welcome Richard “Dick” Wambach to the Underwear Factory for the month of January! Dick was our neighbor at the 2022 Hyde Park Farmers Market, and getting to know him over those five months was a joy. Not only is Dick one of the kindest, thoughtful, and most genuine people out there—he is also an incredible artist and illustrator.
We caught up with Dick to learn more about him, his creative path, and his passion for the Hudson Valley.
PS, a fun fact about his work? Dick hides a visual signature in his drawings. The four birds are his four children, Bill, Chris, Melissa and Tamara, and the clouds represent his wife, Eileen. They are an integral part of every design.
When did you first feel a real connection with drawing, or creating art in general?
As a kid, I was always drawing, coloring in coloring books, and reading comics because I loved art, color, and imagery. My first memorable work of art was with a metal cricket (click, click) - I scratched a picture of a tractor in my brand new maple bed headboard. (rut, roh)
When did you start seriously pursuing art as a career?
In high school (Ockawamick Central School in Columbia County NY) I immediately got involved in Art Club. My art teacher, Mrs. Nicke, encouraged me in the mid sixties to go to school for art and design. She took some of us from Art Club to visit a few campuses that offered programs. She also made it possible for me to design most of the posters used for events and do some illustrations for our yearbook at the high school. So as well as developing my drawing for pleasure, I was actually creating "commercial art" without really knowing it.
I was accepted at Dutchess Community College in the Commercial Art program in fall of 1965 and was mentored by the department chairman, David Lax, who was then an abstract painter but was formerly a combat artist in the US Army. He created and produced a DCC Gold Medal in Fine & Applied Art earlier to recognize talented graduates. I was the second of his students to receive this award in 1967. Mr. Lax also got me my first job as a commercial artist in a print shop in Poughkeepsie before I graduated DCC. Then I went to work for them, Maar Printing Service, full time upon graduation.
What do you love about drawing?
I had been so busy establishing my design/advertising business and raising a family after the service, that I would only draw for pleasure on vacations in the 70-80s. I took a lot of photos for a few years along the Outer Banks of NC, but soon realized that was not as satisfying... but made wonderful memories. I decided to take pens and pads on a trip and drew scenes of Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island from then on.
Today, what I love about drawing historic scenes in the Hudson Valley and New England is that I can interpret, with my style, my vision of a scene. As detailed as they may be, my drawings are not intended to be "precise architectural renderings" but impressions of how I see light and shadow, texture and composition. Problem is there are so many historic subjects in these regions that I do not have time to draw them all, haha!!!
You are a veteran, and are incredibly involved with the VFW in Red Hook. Can you share a little bit about your history in the service?
I enlisted in the US Army in 1967 right after graduating from DCC. I was in a delayed entry program so I worked at the print shop until actually reporting in the Fall of '67.
I completed Basic Training and Advanced Training at Ft. Dix, NJ as a Private First Class; after training I was assigned to Fort Campbell KY, home of the 101st Airborne/Airmobile Division. After that, I was assigned and trained in a Helicopter Maintenance Support Battalion, promoted to rank Specialist E-4 and shipped out to I Corp, Phu Bi, Vietnam when a large part of the division was deployed after the Tet Offensive.
After one tour of duty overseas, returned to Fort Devens, MA as a Specialist E-5 and was assigned to the Post Administrative Personnel Division processing troops coming home from around the world. I also was invited to attend the Post Non-Commissioned Officer academy and received Sgt E-5 upon graduating.
During my three years in service I did not have much time for drawing, though I did have a guitar and a camera most of the time. My talent was recognized by some of my comrades in the service so I did some signs, flyers, logos for events and activities in my units.... again "commercial art". But I longed to get back to the states and work in the field again.
Come see Dick’s drawings at the Underwear Factory in Poughkeepsie during the month of January, 2023!
