That is British born, California based artist Richard Holland. I don’t know which I love more… the self portrait or the fabulous hand-built frame that houses the self portrait!? I’ve written about Richard before, but we met in person last weekend and it only took a few minutes of chatting with this kind, insightful artist – who can make anything – before I invited him onto the podcast. Clearly his art is fantastic, but about four minutes into talking to him I found out that he’s only been making his own art for a few years. What did he do before that you ask? He was in the movies, baby! Richard was an art director and production designer on so many great films… the one that grabbed me {and I’m guessing you}… three words… The. Princess. Bride! Anywho, the whole episode is filled with great stories and insightful gems by this former “tea boy”. Listen right up there under Richard’s self portrait, or subscribe on iTunes.

Let’s start with a few more of his fabulous paintings, complete with fabulous sculptural frames:

What. So good. And the goodness continues:

See? He can make ANYTHING! He had all of these pieces on display when we met at The Other Art Fair, and I was instantly pulled in by that crazy cyclops … on top of the painting of the crazy cyclops! “Where did you find that amazing monster for the top of the frame?”, I naively asked. “I made it”, Richard replied. Of course he did.

That seems like an excellent segue into the fact that he has built a few other things as well:

Yes!  The ‘pit of despair’ and the sailing ships in The Princess Bride! Seriously, I think I’ve seen this movie about fifty times. Anybody wanna peanut?

Now, while I was fangirling about TPB, that classic is just the tip of the iceberg. Richard has worked on all sorts of films – from Indiana Jones to The Last of the Mohicans, Labyrinth to James Bond. Craziness. Oh, and how ’bout these two gems from the 80s:

Yes. Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. What an insane career… not bad for a kid who was told it would be IMPOSSIBLE to have an art career in the movies. Even more insane? When I asked him about his “marriage” to this lady:

Hahahahaha! Oh, internet… why do we believe everything you tell us? Yes, Chaka Khan was married to a Richard Holland, just not THIS Richard Holland. Officially cleared up on Art For Your Ear… are you listening Wikipedia? Thanks so much to Richard for coming on the podcast and letting me freak out over his past career and his new career making his own artwork! Thank you to Saatchi Art for supporting this episode, and thanks to you for listening. There will be more art for your ear next weekend.

Other links:

1. The Other Art Fair
2. Richard on Instagram
3. Richard on IMDb