Meet the Artist

Born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines, Richie Vios hails from an artistic family. He earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1995, and later became a University faculty member, teaching architectural design and presentation.

In 2004, his family decided to leave the Philippines in hopes of a better future in America. For the next five years, he worked closely as an architectural designer at a local architectural firm in Clearwater, Florida, until his family decided to move again to Baltimore, Maryland.

Seeking to introduce more western architectural concepts in Southeast Asia, Richie returned to the Philippines by himself to share, develop, and construct many of the things he had learned from America. During the next five years there, in his spare time, Richie refined and honed a unique mastery of watercolor painting that is evident in his art today.

In the summer of 2017, Richie joined his family when they moved to south Texas. That’s when he knew he could passionately chase the American Dream again, not as an architect, but as a watercolor impressionist and plein air artist. Richie currently lives in Austin, Texas, but spends most of his time travelling across the United States to compete in plein air events and teach watercolor workshops.

Richie is a Signature Member of Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, a Member of Southwest Watercolor Society, a Member of Outdoor Painters Society, and a Member of American Impressionist Society.

“I believe that the mark of a good artist is to be able to capture the different facets of life in his painting - the mood, the ambiance, etc. In a sense, not just illustrating or recording what he sees, but what he feels. The subject in front of me is my inspiration, complemented with my imagination, charged with my passion, and a personal artistic impression that is embodied in my watercolor works.”