Skip to main content

Richard Pitts Art

American, b. 1940
Richard Pitts was born in 1940 into a military family at Fort Monmouth, NJ. After high school he met his first art mentor, the well known sculptor, Ruben Kadish at the Newark College of Fine and Industrial Arts. He moved to New York and after a tour in Europe with the US Army, he graduated Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. He began exhibiting his art works in 1969. He was invited as artist in residence to teach at the Kansas City Art Institute from 1970 to 1973. Returning to his studio in Chelsea NY he had numerous one person shows. He taught in the Fine Arts Department at The Fashion Institute of Technology where he retired as a full professor. He now divides his time between his NY studio and his studio in rural Pennsylvania. Richard is represented in major museum and private collections across the country. A sculptor and painter, Richard Pitts works in many media, including steel, wood, bronze, and aluminum. His pieces are rife with energy and captured motion. Each seethes with potential and seems primed to spring to life at any time. Much like Abstract Expressionism, in Pitts' sculptures, movement replaces any suggestion of visual illusion, building upon his effort to physically abstract the notion of atmosphere or ambiance into a static, three-dimensional form. In 2001 Pitts began breaking down the painted figure into a series of panels that fit together in a puzzle-like fashion. This gradual separation of colors appeared five years later in a series of tall totem structures that reflected a variety of juxtaposing colors, patterns and textures, which were separated by a thick, undulating black line, echoing the construct of stained-glass windows. However in giving shape to a series of metaphysical characteristics that are rarely captured within figurative painting, Pitts has moved the idea of sculpture away from its multi-layered, object-based history and toward one’s personal mythology. His work explores the various metaphors inherent to the natural environment, suggesting that art is not only bridged with life but is also a product of it. In creating this new series of free-standing, abstract sculptures the artist lends form to the notion of placeless-ness, rendering a series of aesthetic intersections where personal narratives commune with the visual. Intended for both interior and exterior sites, Richard Pitts’ newest selection of colorful, metallic objects free up the art experience even further by utilizing the tenets of formalism to touch upon a deeper sense of “being” in the world. Pitts has expanded into the third-dimension by forging the drawn line into a single, hand-held object. Extending this idea onto a series of surfaces that echoes the thick, black line seen in his earlier work, the artist compiles a series of randomly tailored surfaces that connect with one another to represent either frosty, wall-hung, starburst shapes or tall, wing-like forms. His new sculptures are complex in that they symbolize time or, more simply, the thought or feeling of a particular moment.
to
6
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
6
6
6
5
5
6
10,339
2,808
2,500
1,410
6
Artist: Richard Pitts
"Windy Ribbon" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Red
"Windy Ribbon" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Red

"Windy Ribbon" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Red

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Windy Ribbon" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not to mention his paintings. His often colorful,...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

"Back from the Yellow Brick Road" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Yellow
"Back from the Yellow Brick Road" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Yellow

"Back from the Yellow Brick Road" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Yellow

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Back from the Yellow Brick Road" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not to mention his paintings. ...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

"True Blue" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Blue
"True Blue" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Blue

"True Blue" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Blue

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"True Blue" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum on a brushed aluminum base (height includes base) Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, no...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

"Dahlia" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Yellow
"Dahlia" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Yellow

"Dahlia" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in Yellow

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Dahlia" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum on a brushed aluminum base (height includes base) Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not t...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

"Gershwin" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture in Brushed Aluminum
"Gershwin" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture in Brushed Aluminum

"Gershwin" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture in Brushed Aluminum

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Gershwin" by Richard Pitts Brushed aluminum Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not to mention his paintings. His often colorful, abstract ...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

"Pages" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in White
"Pages" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in White

"Pages" Large-Scale, Abstract Aluminum Metal Sculpture in White

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Pages" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not to mention his paintings. His often colorful, abstra...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

Related Items
Sculpture A16 Projection and vibration - Medaglini
Sculpture A16 Projection and vibration - Medaglini

Sculpture A16 Projection and vibration - Medaglini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Sculpture A16 Projection and vibration - Medaglini (1939-2011) Drawn iron and cast iron base H90xW62xD17 Signed on the base Circa 1975 490€

Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

Green Feather Beads Mesa

Green Feather Beads Mesa

Located in Santa Fe, NM

It was the tumult of the sixties that compelled me to drop out of Swarthmore College, move “back to the land” and become an intuitive artist. I believed that if we were to survive a...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

"The man without a rod Nr.2" Aluminum Sculpture Edition of 5 by Sergii Shaulis
"The man without a rod Nr.2" Aluminum Sculpture Edition of 5 by Sergii Shaulis

"The man without a rod Nr.2" Aluminum Sculpture Edition of 5 by Sergii Shaulis

By Sergii Shaulis

Located in Culver City, CA

"The man without a rod Nr.2" Aluminum Sculpture Edition of 5 by Sergii Shaulis From "The man without a rod" series Edition of 5 Medium: aluminium, patina Aluminum. Approximate weigh...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

Red Vine - Large Steel Geometric Red Sculpture
Red Vine - Large Steel Geometric Red Sculpture

Red Vine - Large Steel Geometric Red Sculpture

By Granville Beals

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal, Steel

Looking - tall, geometric abstract, powder coated outdoor steel sculpture
Looking - tall, geometric abstract, powder coated outdoor steel sculpture

Looking - tall, geometric abstract, powder coated outdoor steel sculpture

By Ryan Van Der Hout

Located in Bloomfield, ON

In this intriguing sculpture by Ryan Van Der Hout, a multitude of mirrors reflect the images of sky and land that surround it. Forged from powder-coated steel, each lens is mounted o...

Category

2010s Abstract Geometric Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

Balance Act / - The balance of life -
Balance Act / - The balance of life -

Balance Act / - The balance of life -

Located in Berlin, DE

Ursula Hanke-Förster (1924 Berlin - 2013 ibid.), Balance Act, circa 1962. Bronze mounted on stone base, 57 cm (total height) x 26 cm (width) x 5 cm (depth), signed “U.[rsula] FÖRSTER...

Category

1960s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Bronze

Gold Meander Mesa

Gold Meander Mesa

Located in Santa Fe, NM

It was the tumult of the sixties that compelled me to drop out of Swarthmore College, move “back to the land” and become an intuitive artist. I believed that if we were to survive a...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

John Van Alstine - Pique A Terre IV, Sculpture 1991
John Van Alstine - Pique A Terre IV, Sculpture 1991

John Van Alstine - Pique A Terre IV, Sculpture 1991

By John Van Alstine

Located in Stamford, CT

Stone and metal,usually granite or slate and found object steel are central in my sculpture. The interaction of these materials is a major focus. On the most basic level the work is ...

Category

1990s Abstract Geometric Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Slate, Steel

Ice Nebula 3 - polished, geometric, abstract, painted steel sculpture
Ice Nebula 3 - polished, geometric, abstract, painted steel sculpture

Ice Nebula 3 - polished, geometric, abstract, painted steel sculpture

Located in Bloomfield, ON

This polished, geometric, abstract, painted steel sculpture is by artist Alexander Caldwell. Caldwell’s modern minimalist sculptures have been recognized for their masterful execution and flawless form and color. The Calgary-based artist’s work is often influenced by both nature and science. Ice Nebula is one of a series of pieces inspired by the extraordinary images of space sent to Earth by the Hubble Space Telescope. This tabletop sculpture consists of several stainless steel spheres of different sizes welded together to form a tower-like shape, mounted on a wooden base. Caldwell’s signature paint finish—layers of glossy paint mask the seams of each component so they appear cohesive. The distinctive iridescent paint of Nebula changes color from blue-green to light purple in different light conditions. A nebula is a cloud of gas or dust in outer space. “… The color that transforms the industrial origins of my materials has become so important to the simpler shapes of my new work that it’s as if the metal has become an armature for the paint. “ Alexander Caldwell Alexander Caldwell was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. Alex Caldwell...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling, Patinated Bronze
Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling, Patinated Bronze

Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling, Patinated Bronze

By Carola Eggeling

Located in Paris, FR

Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze black sculpture Numbered and signed artwork Limited edition of 9 Me...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Bronze

Maze Mesa Bloom

Christopher ThomsonMaze Mesa Bloom, 2025

$1,250

H 27 in W 6 in D 6 in

Maze Mesa Bloom

Located in Santa Fe, NM

It was the tumult of the sixties that compelled me to drop out of Swarthmore College, move “back to the land” and become an intuitive artist. I believed that if we were to survive a...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Steel

Previously Available Items
"Dancing Down the Staircase" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Red
"Dancing Down the Staircase" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Red

"Dancing Down the Staircase" Large-Scale, Abstract Metal Sculpture, Red

By Richard Pitts

Located in New York, NY

"Dancing Down the Staircase" by Richard Pitts Powder-coated aluminum Richard Pitts works in many media, from steel to wood to bronze to aluminum, not to mention his paintings. His o...

Category

2010s Abstract Richard Pitts Art

Materials

Metal

Richard Pitts art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Richard Pitts art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Richard Pitts in metal, powder coating, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Richard Pitts art, so small editions measuring 30 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Ellen Brenner-Sorensen, Ibram Lassaw, and Justin Peyser. Richard Pitts art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $26,000 and tops out at $36,000, while the average work can sell for $28,000.

Artists Similar to Richard Pitts