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Richard Van Genderen's life evolved from the wild plains of Africa. A profusion of dangerous animals and reptiles
challenged the boy's survival instincts on his daily wanderings in the bush country. His parents imbued him with
a profound sense of self-discipline and a deep love of learning. His father, a World War II test pilot critically wounded
in flight combat, met and married Hilda, a young American Red Cross nurse. They began their new life in the African
interior with the birth in April 1948, of Richard, the eldest of three children. Eighteen years later following graduation
from a British boarding school in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, Richard fulfilled his dream of emigrating to America, by flying to California
to attend college in the 1960's. After college he worked on top secret research and development projects within
the pressure-filled world of the aerospace industry. Years later, drained, he boarded a passenger ship bound for Europe.
It was in Old-World Europe that Richard daily immersed himself in, reading about every artist and school of art while diligently
practicing the craft of drawing. Van Gernderen's explorations culminated with a life-changing journey to the Spanish
home of surrealist master Salvador Dali. Returning to California more mature and accomplished in expressing
himself, he worked at picture-making with a passion. Following a museum group exhibition at the Palace of the Legion
of Honor in San Francisco in the late 1970's, Van Genderen sold all his possessions and drove to Michoacan, Mexico, where
he lived for several years working long days painting at a feverish pace. Abruptly leaving Mexico after painting a notorious
drug lord's mistress in the nude, he found a safer line of work in Texas under commission to paint botanicals that are
ardently collected throughout the United States. On the road most of the time, Richard remains devoted to portraying
nature.
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| "JellyFish" |
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| "Lined Seahorse" |
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| "Martin's Tibia" (color) |
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| "Nautilus" |
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| "Noble Scallop" (sepia) |
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| "Pot Belly Seahorse" |
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| "Triton's Trumpet" |
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| "Angular Triton" (color) |
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| "Asia Moon Scallop" |
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| "Branchy Coral" |
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| "Chambered Nautilus" (sect) |
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| "Disc Coral" |
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| "Glory of India" |
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| "Martin's Tibia" (sepia) |
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| "Needle Coral" |
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| "Orange Marble Starfish" |
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| "Shorthead Seahorse" |
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| "Zebra Snout Seahorse" |
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| "Angular Triton" (sepia) |
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| "Biscuit Starfish" |
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| "Chambered Nautilus" (color) |
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| "Cockle" |
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| "Finger Coral" |
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| "Mars Comb" |
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| "Noble Scallop" (color) |
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| "Phillipine Starfish" |
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| "Thatcheria" |
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