Toolin Around Town: Talented sculptor Harry Richardson has enjoyed fulfilling career

Petaluma artist’s work featured around the country|

Describing the creative realm in which Harry Richardson works in can be challenging.

The imagination and power of creativity possessed by the esteemed and influential artist, who routinely collected coveted artistic awards throughout his lifetime, seems limitless. A 40-year resident of Penngrove, Richardson established his place in the world of art prior to moving here from San Francisco and opening Richardson’s Designs. His extraordinary career as a sculptor, furniture maker, jewelry designer, painter, and other mediums - encompassing many forms of stone, wood, metal, and gemstones - seems infinite.

Growing up in the industrial and manufacturing city of Marion, Ohio, Richardson had plenty of opportunities for future employment. Large manufacturing plants in the area were always hiring and well-paying jobs were readily available. But from early childhood, Richardson had an unwavering vision for his future and it didn’t include assembling washing machines for Whirlpool Corp., or working at a steel or packaging plant. Brimming with artistic talent, he wanted to develop his skillful talent into a lifelong career.

Full of the confidence and fortitude that led him to excel in gymnastic achievements and reign as a two-year lightweight division Golden Gloves boxing champion in high school, Richardson entered the Army-Air Corps in 1946 with plans, when he was discharged, to further his education using the G.I. Bill. Although his mind was set on becoming a sculptor, he performed many artistic tasks in the service, including creating the winning logo design for his military company while stationed in the Philippines. When a picture of Richardson and his design ran in a G.I. publication, it elicited a pen-pal response from an interested reader, a local woman Ede, who in 1948 became Richardson’s wife.

After the service, Richardson enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Art, which he graduated from in 1952 with the school’s top honors. He and his wife then moved back to the Philippines, he went into interior design and furniture making. Among his customers were the U.S. Embassy, Scandinavian Airlines and the Manila Hotel, which decorated its presidential suite with his furniture.

Harry, Ede, and their young daughter Aida moved to San Francisco’s Sunset District in 1957, where Richardson established himself making models of bottles for Schilling Co. and Gallo wines, and creating gemstone carvings. He’s enjoyed numerous one-man shows and group exhibitions, with his work appearing in many galleries and the California Academy of Sciences. Over the years, he’s received enough awards and accolades to fill a room. Among his notable achievements is the monumental Tree of Life for San Francisco’s Jewish Home for the Aged, and a stylish Great Blue Heron for the San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center.

Richardson was a regular contributor to the gem cutting magazine Lapidary Journal, and when his carving of an American Bald Eagle - using black mottled jade from Wyoming, white jade from Burma, opal and opal inlay, petrified wood and 14 carat gold - appeared on the cover of its June, 1976 edition, the Gump’s corporation took notice. Gump’s, which specializes in the best of luxury home décor, showed an appreciation for California artists and happily took everything Richardson made. His painstaking carvings proved to be a success and were displayed in Gump’s display cases and showroom windows in New York City.

An avid spear fisherman and abalone diver, and a big fan of the television show “Sea Hunt,” Richardson made his own spear guns. He was looking for a larger space for his artistic creations as well as location closer to his favorite coastal diving spots, when in 1978, he and his family moved to a 1-acre parcel near the Green Mill Inn, where he opened Richardson’s Designs and fulfilled his wish to be nearer to the choice diving areas.

His awe-inspiring talent included sculptures of wood, stone, metal and gemstones; exquisitely carved gold, silver and gemstone jewelry; leaded glass creations, sculpted knives of exotic wood and steel, and much more. Lots of sea animals, whales and sea lions, along with many different species of owls, his personal favorite, carved from a variety of stones, including Siberian jade, Burma jadeite and silver onyx.

Richardson’s Designs has closed its gallery, but Richardson notes, if he could find the right venue, he’d possibly consider putting on a show. From now on sales will be through his reputation and good name. Richardson is very happy with his accomplishments and satisfied that he made a living through his life’s work.

(Harlan Osborne’s column ‘Toolin’ Aroung Town’ runs every other week. Contact him at harlan@sonic.net).

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