About the Artist

Richard C. DeSpain has been paying attention to details his entire life.  DeSpain is a well-known artist in Arkansas and surrounding states, and he is looking to expand his following to include a national and international audience.  DeSpain retired at the end of 2003 after 30-plus years from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service where he served as a draftsman and artist. 

Born in Marked Tree, Arkansas, Richard’s first art lessons were at the local YMCA in Blytheville, drawing fruit and vegetables on a table.  He liked to draw a comic book hero named Hot Stuff, a red devil character.  Later, in junior high school he started drawing local homes and selling them to the owners.  He also enjoyed drawing airplanes.  He later studied drafting and computer-aided drafting at vocational-technical colleges in Arkansas. 

Growing up in Arkansas, he lived in several towns, and after graduating from high school, Richard spent two years in the U.S. Army as a medic in Landstuhl, Germany (1967-68).  While on tour of duty, he spent his off-hours sightseeing and sketching local landmarks.  He carried around several sketch books to get his impressions down on paper.  His favorite places to draw were a run-down castle, a graveyard in the center of town, and a rock tower near the army barracks.  The rock tower was run by a German gentleman who sold soft drinks and beer to visiting tourists.  Hanging out drawing the details of the rock tower and watching people was a good way to spend several hours of down time.

After his army days, Richard moved to Little Rock and started drawing homes in the Quapaw district.  The first home he drew was the Villa Marre (the home was shown in the opening credits of the TV show Designing Women).  He printed 100 black and white copies of the house to sell and his interest to draw homes began again.

A resident of North Little Rock, Richard lives with his wife, Gail.  They have two grown sons.  According to Richard, his family “puts up” with his passion for drawing, as there are always pieces of his work in various stages of completion scattered about his art room (often spilling over into the hall and den).  Richard’s favorite subjects are probably the Old Mill and anything military.  Pugh’s Mill was built in North Little Rock about 1933 and was featured in Gone With the Wind.  Richard has drawn more renditions of the Old Mill than any other image.  Military works are also a passion of Richard’s.  He not only enjoys the challenge of capturing the detail of various military aircraft and service personnel, but he also is pleased by the reaction of his enthusiastic and passionate customers who purchase the military prints.