High School Juried Show Juror Spotlight: Anthony Richichi
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Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
I’m a born and raised Glens Falls native. I’ve been working as a full-time artist at Saratoga Springs Publishing as their Lead Illustrator and most recently their new Art Director for the past 5 years and it’s still a very surreal and exciting feeling to make art for a living. I also freelance and have drawn licensed art for different clients and titles including Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Transformers, The X-Files and the FX Network. With my book publisher I’ve illustrated over two dozen books and also have a book series that I wrote/illustrated, Colorworld, that has won a few awards and was adapted into a live-action play that I wrote and it premiered at the Charles R. Wood Theater in January 2025.I didn’t have a traditional path to a full-time art career although I did have some early success having 3 of my pieces accepted into The Hyde Collection’s High School Juried Show while a student at Glens Falls High School. I worked various day-jobs out of high school and it wasn’t until 2012 when I started painting that I really felt I could make a run as a professional artist. I started painting hours and hours a day, every day, building a portfolio and vending at local art shows and festivals (still while juggling full-time day jobs) for about a decade. It finally broke open and I was able to make the leap and leave my day-job when I met my publisher and started drawing children’s books. I always strongly encourage people that it’s never too late and there’s never a right or wrong way to jump in and start making art. This community is so supportive and there are many local art organizations where you can show your work, start building a portfolio, pick up connections and get on your way as an artist! -
What's been the most exciting part about being a juror for our annual High School Juried Show?
The most exciting part about this judging process so far has been walking into the auditorium and seeing the 250+ pieces that made it to the 2nd round all laid out before us. It was like a sea of artwork and the talent level was just through the roof. It was stunning to be in the presence of it all and it was SO difficult to widdle it down to just 125 pieces. I can’t say enough even to the students who weren’t accepted, that you’re all so talented and there are so many amazing artists out there in these local high schools and I can’t encourage them enough to keep making art and keep submitting! It was also really hard for all the judges to leave the room when we were done judging, we were like, can we just stay in here and keep looking at it all?!
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How do you think participation in the High School Juried Show impacts artists of all ages?
I think, as someone who personally had pieces accepted when I was in GFHS, that it was very, very inspiring and it gave me a lot of belief that I could be successful and that my art and “voice” was enough to be heard and celebrated. Art-making is a very solitary job and way to spend time, just you, the canvas, and your imagination. So to get that affirmation that my work is worthy and I’m worthy of being celebrated, just did so much for inspiring me to want to keep making art. And that’s one of the surest ways to “success” is to just keep making art, keep exploring, keep experimenting, keep putting it out into the world, and keep believing! The more you create the more undeniable you will become and in turn, the clearer your path to success will be.
