Richard Vincent (#2): Coffee Break, Wet Paint.

Richard Vincent has been described as an old-school bohemian, an "opinionated" character, a dedicated, full-time artist. That's how I like to think of him, as well. Photo taken at his Logan Street studio in the late '90s.

Vincent's work has been exhibited in Tokyo, Prague, and Den Haag -- in addition to Aspen and Denver. Hailed by Rocky Mountain News columnist Mary Voelz Chandler as a "master of geometry," she also glowingly wrote of his work: "Glowing colors make each painting resemble a thermal map in which the concentration of heat sets the tone." He's a strict exponent of how color, shape, and form ought to interrelate.

Vincent has lived in Colorado since 1967 -- although I'm sure he still considers himself an outsider in the city he's resided in for a few decades now. I personally met him at a regularly-hosted, late afternoon, Bud Lite-fueled salon held downtown at the now-defunct Johnny's Newsstand. I've enjoyed his stories of hanging out and partying with Zero Mostel in New York City and Hunter S. Thompson in Aspen, in addition to hearing him expound about art.

By chance, the last time we saw each other was at a coffee shop downtown. Talk of rare books, writing, travel. An invite to visit him again at his studio, where he wields his shapes and hues -- a wizard of the arcana of abstraction.