Spiritual Space No. 16

Richard Mayhew is an American painter, best known for his rainbow-colored landscape paintings. His fluorescent depictions of the American countryside tackle ideas surrounding African-American identity, jazz music, and Abstract Expressionism. Mayhew’s spiritual connection to the natural world has its roots in his African American and Native American heritage, as he was raised to have a kinship with the earth and it’s spirits. Abstract Expressionist painters like Willem de Kooning encouraged Mayhew to pursue and experiment in his art, influencing his technique and worldview. He was notably a member of the Black painters' collective "Spiral," including other members such as Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis and Hale Woodruff. Mayhew continues to live and work in Santa Cruz, CA.