Richard Kirk is an oil painter living and teaching in Naples and Bonita Springs, Florida. His current paintings are figurative and photorealistic, but he has worked extensively as an illustrator, portrait painter and still life painter. Currently, his paintings are on display at www.richardvkirk.com He teaches classes in Advanced Oil/Acrylic Painting, Figure Drawing and Portrait Painting at both Naples Art and the Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs. Richard studied illustration at Palomar College in San Marcos, California and established his illustration business from Boston, Massachusetts. His illustration clients included Hoods Milk, Dexter Shoes, Fidelity Investment, RGA Publishing and Harvard Magazine, to name a few. In addition, Richard has written and self-published four books designed to help his students learn the basics of drawing, painting, portrait painting and color theory. His fundamental belief about painting shapes his work and his teaching: “Creating a painting does not make one an artist. Artists create something extraordinary from their experience, knowledge and ability. Until a painter has discovered and is able to pull instantly from these three primary conditions, he or she is a student. Still, taking pride in being a student moves you closer to creating art.”