Sparks Gallery owner and curator Sonya Sparks joins us for a walk through of Richard Becker’s solo exhibition, “Float“.

Richard Becker is doing some exciting work right now.

He has natural talent for sculpting realistic reproductions of people’s faces and the human figure, but also has his own contemporary vision for his sculpture and paintings, which will be on display at the gallery starting this August. Aug 4 – Oct 7

The theme of the exhibition is called “Float”, which is a contemporary take on childhood icons and themes surrounding water and air. His most popular piece is called “the Tot”, a sculpture of a toddler in a confident stance, who is suited up in swim attire and ready to take on the world. We are also showing brand new paintings by the artist, which is a new stretch for him in terms of material and subject matter, as he worked primarily with bronze figures in the past.

There are interesting material selections in his new show. Instead of the traditional bronze he has worked with in the past, he is experimenting with stainless composite (a cast resin material with stainless steel powder), fiberglass, and plastics, along with cast stainless steel.

This exhibit is all about the search for hope and lightness in the world around us. It’s about finding that childlike wonder and holding it tight.