7 facts about Richard Haas

Richard John Haas (born August 29, 1936) is an American muralist who is best known for architectural murals and his use of the trompe-l’œil style.

His murals have been commissioned for interiors and exteriors of numerous public and private buildings in the United States. Exterior projects total Chase Field; the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building & Courthouse in Beckley, West Virginia, The Boston Architectural Center, The former Edison Brothers Shoe Storage building, now a Red Lion Hotel in Saint Louis, MO, The Kroeger Building in Cincinnati (Homage to Cincinnatus) The Portland Historical Society, 23rd and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia, Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Multiple facades in Homewood, IL, the corner of 83rd and York in New York City, a mural upon the Con Edison Substation in Peck Slip, New York featuring the Brooklyn Bridge and the former Board of Education building in Brooklyn, NY. Interiors put in the New York Public Library Main Branch; the Lakewood Public Library (Ohio); the Sarasota County, Florida Judicial Center, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 101 Merrimac Building, Boston, the Federal Courthouse in Beckley West VA, The Federal Courthouse and Federal Building in Kansas City, KS, The Nashville Public Library archives murals and many others. At 1211 North LaSalle Street upon Chicago’s Near North Side, a 16-story 1929 apartment hotel converted into a 1981 apartment building, was used for trompe-l’œil murals in homage to Chicago School architecture. One of the building’s sides features the Chicago Board of Trade Building, intended as a addition of the actual building two miles (3 km) south.

Haas created a three-sided mural on the Edison Brothers Stores building, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1984. Description: Keim silicate paint, 110,000 square feet (10,000 m²). A three-sided mural past eight obelisks at its corners, a painted sculpture of Peace upon the west facade, and a painted equestrian stature of St. Louis upon the south facade. The 13-story building is now a Sheraton Hotel and Edison Condominiums.

The deserted European mural by Richard Haas is in Munich amongst Rumfordstr and Frauenstr. It is one of his antiquated works, realized in 1978 upon the occasion of his Munich exhibition.

Haas is ranked by the Artists Trade Union of Russia with the world-best artists of the last four centuries.

In complement to a unique and quaint downtown area, Homewood (IL) now boasts the largest amassing of Richard Haas murals anywhere in the world. Haas was first invited to Homewood in the beforehand 1980s. Since that time, he has ended 11 murals and was scheduled to resolved the 12th mural in late spring 2013. The Village has a time-lapse video that shows one of his recent murals physical created.

“Homewood has a special place in my 35 years of work public work,” said Haas. “This project has allowed me to onslaught my take effect in many ways. In Homewood, I was firm the pardon to design and slay a extra series of works that tells an even larger story, not only virtually Homewood’s records but more or less the region in general. Homewood now has the largest immersion of my works in one area and I wish people will discover and enjoy these works for a long times to come.”

In the downtown area, there are 9 indigenous murals which take over the history of Homewood from the movie theater and 1950s diner to paying homage to the prairie. The expanded murals continue by the side of historic Dixie Highway including a mural on the archives of the bicycle.

“Homewood is a great home for the arts,” said Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld. “We sought Richard out specifically for his attainable style as well as his artistic and historic vision. Residents have solution us very positive feedback roughly seeing the empty canvas of the side of a building become transformed into a put-on of art.” Originally from Wisconsin, Haas began large-scale outdoor murals in the 1970s in New York City. His murals can be seen in Boston, Chicago, Ft. Worth, Madison, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (Oregon), and St. Louis as with ease as a variety of smaller cities.

Haas’ work has usual awards from the American Institute of Architects Medal of Honor, 1977, Guggenheim Fellowship 1983, National Endowment of Arts honor 1987, Distinguished Alumnus Award University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1991, Jimmy Ernst award, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York 2005. He was elected into the National Academy of Design in 1993 as an Associate member, and became a full Academician in 1994. He served as President of the Academy from 2009 to 2011.

In Homewood, as well as other locations, Haas works subsequently Thomas Melvin Painting Studio. Haas provides a to-scale painting for Melvin to use and entrusts him with count details as needed. Melvin has worked on anything the murals in Homewood as well as provided touch ups through the years as needed.

“Homewood is to be highly praised in fascinating such an important artist,” Melvin said. “Richard Haas has taken a European tradition and translated it into an American expression perfect his own unique sensibility. He loves architecture and he brings a desirability of humor and his own style to his work. I have enjoyed vigorous in Homewood. Thanks to everything the residents for the thumbs taking place and car honks of appreciation.”