RICHIE MACK'S VIRTUAL GALLERY
Explore unique and mesmerizing paintings by "Riche Mack"
About The Artist
Richie Mack
(Richard Mack Levine)
1961-2023
Richie Mack was a natural born-artist who painted abstract, conceptual, and folk paintings, chiefly using oil-paint on canvas. He also drew pencil and charcoal drawings (most of which are painting plans).
Rich displayed artistic talent in childhood, and he had drawn and painted since then. It is presumed that he began oil-painting and also attended art-school in his teens.
In the late 1980's to early 90's, he printed and sold t-shirts. He printed the t-shirts himself, using the traditional screen-printing method, and the prints were all his own artwork. He resumed t-shirt printing for a short time, between 2008 and 2009.
Rich was sort of transcendental and intuitive, and it shows his artwork; this especially shows to those who are familiar with the deeper and more obscure sides of life.
He had a tendency to combine many elements in his paintings especially his later paintings. The elements which he combined are what most people wouldn't expect to see together in the same painting, mustering such visual intrigue.
He also used colors sensibly, by often complementing a color with its opposite. It seemed that he intuitively knew which color was opposite of which.
A thorough viewer could likely spend an hour on some of Rich's paintings, analyzing all the elements and colors in therein, and attempting the to decipher the meaning behind the visual compositions.
Signature
Trivia
Signature
Rich didn't sign any of his paintings until he finished them, making it easy to tell the finished from the unfinished.
Uniqueness
Rich generally had a need to be different, and this shows in his paintings. He deviated from what was popular, usual, or commonplace. He didn't paint landscapes or romantic scenery, because they were just too ordinary.
Philosophy
Rich was somewhat drawn to philosophy, especially Tibetan Buddhism.
He was defiantly drawn to eccentric ways of thinking, and this shows in his paintings.
Some of his painting allude to eccentric concepts, and the kind of philosophy which he valued. This is part of the reason he incorporated the Buddha in his later paintings. Even some of the other elements in the paintings were inspired by Tibetan artwork.
Music
Though not a musician, Rich had a very diverse music taste.
On one hand, he was quite a Rock-fan. He liked pretty much all the classic Rock N' Roll music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s -- and classic Pop-Rock too.
Yet, he also enjoyed Heavy Metal, or Metal-music in general. He enjoyed much of the Rock and Pop music from the 80s, with only exceptions being Van-Halen, Guns' N' Roses, The Police, Genesis, and Peter Gabriel.
Another genre he was particularly fond of was "Western-Rock," e.g. bands like New Riders of The Purple Sage.
On the other hand, he enjoyed classical music in the likes of Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven; also guitar solos like David Russel's "Reflections of Spain".
He also favored Fado music, and singers such Cristina Bronco and Mariza.
Not to mention folk music as well.
To top it off, he also liked Country, Jazz, Blues, mid-century Pop, and who knows what else...
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Athletics
One would rarely expect an artist to be athletic. Rich was, however.
In his teens, he was one the few students in his school with the most strength and endurance. As a young adult, his performance was above most others in most gym environments, especially when in came to Versa-Climbing.
He also practiced martial arts at Alan Lee's "Kung Fu Wu Su" school in New York, and he practiced Wing Chun somewhat, but much later in life. Believe it or not, he knew how to use nunchuks and swords, and acquired much of this skill from Alan Lee's school (presumably).
Rich also enjoyed long-distance cycling, even in his 60s. In Florida, he cycled the west-coast from Bonita Springs to Fort Myers, and back.
His favorite exercises were cycling and Versa-Climbing.
Vagabond
Rich couldn't stick with one thing for so long. He couldn't stay in a job for over two years without feeling the need leave, and seek another job (or vocation). It seems that he couldn't live in the same home for over two years either.
Generally, he needed a frequent change in environment, and fresh experiences.
He was also a bit of a traveler. In his 20s, he traveled to Venice Italy, England, and Ecuador. After he moved to Florida, he sometimes drove back to New York to visit friends and family, and then drive back to Florida afterwards. Twice he drove to Indiana to see the Indy 500 race. He also drove to key-west twice (from Naples, and Bonita springs). He preferred personal travel, for he didn't like crowded environments and recycled air.
Nature
Rich was always drawn to the Natural World. He was prone to cabin-fever, and needed more time outdoors, especially in natural environments like beaches and preserves. He also yearned to be near water, or out on the water. He also enjoyed fishing.
Rich was also fond of animals. He had many pets throughout life. As a child, he lived with dogs, cats, turtles, lizards, snakes, birds, fish, and at one time, a baby gorilla named "Jo-Jo".
In young adulthood, he had a Retriever named "Sheba," and then two Siamese cats.
Chef's Edge
Believe it or not, Rich was a good cook.
Although he could cook just about anything, he seemed best at cooking fish, pasta, and vegetables.
Sometimes, he'd invent his own dishes.
Residence
Rich lived the first half of his life in New York, and the second Half in Florida.
His friend John Davis, convinced him to move to Florida, and Rich also saw that it would be a better place for his four-year-old (me, Thane).
Rich ended up liking the subtropical environment of South-West Florida far more than the dense urban environment of New York City. Though Rich lived in Bonita Springs and Naples, he was much fonder of Key West.
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Famous People
Rich had a tendency to brush or have brief encounters with famous people.
One day, Rich was at a New York bar with his friends, and he found himself sitting near Harrison Ford, who was accompanied by his own friends.
When Rich worked at The Limelight (an NYC bar), Billy Idol and Perri Lister stopped by for a few drinks, and to use the VIP-booth. There was some ordeal about Perri unintentionally locking her sweater in the VIP-booth, and Rich having to get it out.
In 87, just after Rich hung his paintings in the restaurant, Jean Wilder went there. Although Rich didn't speak to him and it's unknown if Wilder had any interest in the paintings.
In 2005, Rich went to the Indianapolis 500, with Archbishop Buchlein, and where Danica Patrick closely walked past him.
Rich went to the Indie 500 race again with the Archbishop, in 2007. They entered an elevator in which Russel Crow and his bodyguard happened to be.
Sting
When Rich was a young adult, people often told him that he resembled the English Musician who was professionally known as "Sting". Rich wasn't bothered by this, nor was he fond of it. To his surprise, in the year 2020, someone once again told him that he resembled Sting.
Ironically, Rich did not admire Sting's music, at least not most of it.
Felines
As a young adult, Rich seemed to admire felines particularly; (including big cats and wild cats). He had two Siamese cats, one named "Cleopatra," and the other named "Bastet". Both cats passed away about three years before he moved to Florida. Cats were a common element in his early oil paintings.
Strangely, after he moved to Florida, he stopped incorporating cats in his paintings; he even said that he disliked cats, and that liked dogs much better. The lion was an exception however and kept it in his paintings.
Family
Rich was born to Monroe Levine and Patricia Haynes (Levine by marriage).
He has two sisters and four brothers. Rich is one of the youngest, being born just before the youngest. Rich has an ex-wife named Cleopatra (co-incidentally the same name as one of his cats) and a son named Thane (me)
The Limelight
When Rich lived in New York City he used to work as bar-back in a bar called "The Lime Light". He worked alongside many amusingly awkward and unusual characters. He was very fond this job and environment, and regretted leaving.
Got Muscle?
After The Lime Light, Rich became a fitness instructor and worked at a gym in New York City called "Definitions". Later he worked at a Crunch gym in NYC. He mostly trained people in weightlifting.
He stopped fitness instruction after he moved to Florida; unfortunately, fitness instruction didn't pay well in Florida, especially not in Naples.
Photography
Although never a professional photographer, Rich definitely had the talent to be one. He was exceptional at photographing plants.
Watchful
During his time as a fitness instructor, Rich became the manager of a building on 79 Washington Place in New York, he also moved into this building. -- it was a live-in situation, which was made possible by his friend Bernie Posner. He would also watch the homes for people in building who vacated.
In 1998, he gave his position to his neighbor and friend Steve Lischin, just before he moved to Florida. In Florida, that same year, he became manager and later maintenance-man, in a Bay Colony high-rise called the Marquesa. And once again, he watched the homes (and cars) for those who vacated, and eventually gained enough clients to rely on solely on homewatching for income.
In the year 2000, he stopped working for the Marquesa, although he continued to watch the homes and cars of the residence there.
In 2011, the Marquesa began to use a weekend manager, and Rich filled this position until 2021.
Bishop's Buddy
In 2001, Rich was hired by The Archbishop of Indianapolis, Daniel M. Beuchlein, to watch his Naples home, in the community called "Beachwalk".
Rich became good friends with Daniel, despite their differences in beliefs. Rich was an Atheist (generally at least), and Daniel was Catholic; but aside from this, they had a fair deal in common.