Howard, Richard "Ric" E.
Howard, Richard "Ric" E., 84, a Dennis artist internationally known for his spare and clean style of painting, died Friday, Feb. 9, 1996 at Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, after a brief illness.
Mr. Howard was born in Martinsburg, W. Va., and moved to Philadelphia at an early age. After graduating from Germantown High School, he received a four-year scholarship to the former School of Industrial Arts, now the Philadelphia Museum School of Art.
While in art school, Mr. Howard worked for Aatell & Jones, designing paper products and logos. He moved to Greenwich Village, N.Y., in 1938 and began working in Macy’s art department, eventually becoming executive art director there.
Mr. Howard enlisted in the Army, serving in the signal corps in Northern Ireland in 1942, then in England. He was promoted to sergeant and won several commendations for raising troop morale with his volunteer work painting murals.
While in London, Mr. Howard painted a rendition of Rainbow Comer, a Red Cross service club. The painting now hangs in the National Gallery in London. He returned to New York City in 1945 and began doing freelance art work for Benton & Bowles Advertising Agency, Bloomingdales, Pepperell Mills and a number of greeting card companies, winning many awards for his advertising art.
In 1987, Mr. Howard was one of the artists chosen to paint an Easter egg for the annual egg roll on the South Lawn of the White
House in Washington, D.C. He gave the name "Scargo" to his egg, which depicted Scargo Tower in Dennis above a group of lakeside cottages. "Scargo" is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The following year, Mr. Howard was chosen to create a commemorative holiday painting for the White House Christmas Pageant of Peace, the focus of which was the lighting of the national Christmas tree. His work, which he unveiled at the ceremony, depicted a giant lighted tree surrounded by smaller trees in front of the White House. On his 80th birthday, Mr. Howard was commended by the Massachusetts Legislature for patriotic devotion to his country and its flag. He had summered in Dennis since the early 1960s, and moved there in the early 1970s. Mr. Howard had a special love for both the Dennis Union Church and the Cape Playhouse in Dennis.
In the past, he had served as the Dennis town crier at the Dennis Village Living Creche Ceremony: Mr. Howard's artwork is on display in many collections and galleries, including the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Cape Playhouse, which houses a permanent collection of his work.
A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 3rd in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne with military honors. A procession will form at 1 p.m. at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., S. Yarmouth.
Mr. Howard was born in Martinsburg, W. Va., and moved to Philadelphia at an early age. After graduating from Germantown High School, he received a four-year scholarship to the former School of Industrial Arts, now the Philadelphia Museum School of Art.
While in art school, Mr. Howard worked for Aatell & Jones, designing paper products and logos. He moved to Greenwich Village, N.Y., in 1938 and began working in Macy’s art department, eventually becoming executive art director there.
Mr. Howard enlisted in the Army, serving in the signal corps in Northern Ireland in 1942, then in England. He was promoted to sergeant and won several commendations for raising troop morale with his volunteer work painting murals.
While in London, Mr. Howard painted a rendition of Rainbow Comer, a Red Cross service club. The painting now hangs in the National Gallery in London. He returned to New York City in 1945 and began doing freelance art work for Benton & Bowles Advertising Agency, Bloomingdales, Pepperell Mills and a number of greeting card companies, winning many awards for his advertising art.
In 1987, Mr. Howard was one of the artists chosen to paint an Easter egg for the annual egg roll on the South Lawn of the White
House in Washington, D.C. He gave the name "Scargo" to his egg, which depicted Scargo Tower in Dennis above a group of lakeside cottages. "Scargo" is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The following year, Mr. Howard was chosen to create a commemorative holiday painting for the White House Christmas Pageant of Peace, the focus of which was the lighting of the national Christmas tree. His work, which he unveiled at the ceremony, depicted a giant lighted tree surrounded by smaller trees in front of the White House. On his 80th birthday, Mr. Howard was commended by the Massachusetts Legislature for patriotic devotion to his country and its flag. He had summered in Dennis since the early 1960s, and moved there in the early 1970s. Mr. Howard had a special love for both the Dennis Union Church and the Cape Playhouse in Dennis.
In the past, he had served as the Dennis town crier at the Dennis Village Living Creche Ceremony: Mr. Howard's artwork is on display in many collections and galleries, including the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Cape Playhouse, which houses a permanent collection of his work.
A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 3rd in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne with military honors. A procession will form at 1 p.m. at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., S. Yarmouth.
