Richard was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1986, where he currently resides and works. He trained at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy from 2008 to 2011, after which he stayed on as an instructor, teaching drawing, painting, and anatomy. Since then, he has held various positions at the academy, and is currently the director of their Master of Arts in Studio Art graduate program, which is held in the summers.

In 2019 he returned to Nashville, where he maintains a studio with his wife and fellow painter, Marty Welsh. He divides his time between painting commissions, working on his own projects, and teaching.