Richard Berman is known for his refined and subtle color field paintings. He paints spare panels with formal, graphic compositions of complex visual depth. The paintings are slow to reveal their form, with nuanced tonal shifts that gently direct the eye through the compositions. The colors are frequently so close in tone and value they seem nearly monochromatic, but upon closer inspection reveal layers of subtlety and movement. His work is mystereous, contemplative, and quiet, allowing the viewer to savor the details as the totality of the image emerges.
Berman was raised in New York but settled in New Mexico where he has maintained a studio practice since 1993. Early on, Berman attended the Music and Art High School in New York City, then the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and worked for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His work is featured in collections across the nation.