Richard Toft

The description of "compulsive artist" used by my early teachers  has been with me for my lifetime. After environmental studies at Cornell and architecture at U. Minnesota, I became an environmental designer and freelance fine art illustrator. Until recently, I had been living aboard "Murmur" cruising the eastern seaboard of the United States with my wife Christina and our German Shepherd co-captain Mack. We have now combined our experience with a "home base" on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. My work remains focused on fine art with an emphasis on contemporary realism created in the spirit of old world craftsmanship. The themes are coastal life and traditions, maritime in nature, and the technique is classic egg tempera.

I have been included in a major international exhibit at the Maritime Museum in Mystic, Ct. and  a major national exhibit with the American Society of Marine Artists.  My work is included in the book "Contemporary American Marine Art" ( American Society of Marine Artists) and Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine . In addition to numerous awards for both drawing and painting, I  have won "Best of Show" awards in Miami, Florida; Ocean City, New Jersey; Glastonbury, Connecticut; Marco Island, Florida; and, most recently, Naples, Florida. Visit Richard's Website