Richard W. Dempsey
Richard William Dempsey (1909–1987) was an American illustrator and painter, with works included in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art. Dempsey was born in Ogden, Utah, on September 14, 1909. He spent his youth in Oakland, California and attended the California School of Arts and Crafts.
Also recorded as Richard William Dempsey
Richard W. Dempsey
- Name
- Richard William Dempsey
- Born
- 14 September 1909
- Birthplace
- Ogden, Utah
- Died
- 8 October 1987
- Place of death
- Washington, D.C.
- Education
- California School of Arts and Crafts
- Movement
- Abstract expressionism
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- painter · drafter · art educator · illustrator
- Fields
- painting · illustration · visual art education
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Richard William Dempsey (1909–1987) was an American illustrator and painter, with works included in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art. Dempsey was born in Ogden, Utah, on September 14, 1909. He spent his youth in Oakland, California and attended the California School of Arts and Crafts.
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wikidata · Q100250045 · wikipedia · Richard W. Dempsey
In this article
Biography
Biography
He relocated to Washington, D.C, where he worked for the Federal Government, first for the Federal Power Commission as a draftsman and then for the General Services Administration as an illustrator. Dempsey continued his studies at Howard University where he was taught by James Lesesne Wells. In 1946 Dempsey was the recipient of a fellowship from the Julius Rosenwald Fund to create portraits of important Black Americans. During his lifetime, Dempsey exhibited at the Franz Bader Gallery in Washington, D.C, and taught at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. Dempsey died on October 8, 1987, in Washington, D.C.
Dempsey studied at Sacramento City College and California College of the Arts. The field of work recorded is painting, illustration and visual art education. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are abstract and portrait. Places of work recorded in the authority are Oakland, Washington, D.C. and Haiti. Work by Richard W. Dempsey is recorded in the collections of Smithsonian American Art Museum and The Phillips Collection.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Richard William Dempsey • Born — 14 September 1909 • Birthplace — Ogden, Utah • Died — 8 October 1987 • Place of death — Washington, D.C. • Education — California School of Arts and Crafts • Movement — Abstract expressionism
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1909
Richard W. Dempsey was born in 1909 at Ogden.
1987
Richard W. Dempsey died in 1987 at Washington, D.C..
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Ogden.
Birth place
Washington and D.C.
Death place
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Illustration
5,224 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Richard S. BrownIllustrator
- Richard S. JohnsonIllustrator
- Richard ScarryIllustrator
- Richard SimkinIllustrator
- Richard WestallIllustrator
- Richard WilliamsIllustrator
- Rick LawIllustrator
- Rick SternbachIllustrator
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