News
I'm honored to accept the position of Assistant Director, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA; an organization steeped in the lore and history of the Friends of Photography and the West Coast landscape tradition.
March, 2106 - To celebrate a new and exciting relationship, I'm honored to be the Featured Artist at the Weston Gallery, Carmel, CA. Signs of Life will include selections from my Tibet, Angkor Wat, Bhutan and Laos portfolios. The exhibition will run from March 26 through May 27, 2016. An artist reception in April will be announced. Please drop by if you can!
November, 2015 - Water Lilies, Vientiane, Laos, is included in a group exhibition titled, Bloom, at the Weston Gallery, Carmel, CA. The exhibition will run through January, 2016.
August, 2015 - I'm honored to be invited to participate in The Center for Photographic Art's Artist Lecture series. August 20, 2015, 6:30-8:00 pm. Sunset Cultural Center, Carmel, CA. Free for CPA members. Hope you can make it!
July, 2015 - One of my new images from Angkor Wat - Strangler Fig, 2015 - was selected for the Center for Photographic Art's 2015 Juried Competition. The exhibition runs from July 25 - September 19, 2015. Opening reception is July 25, 5-7:00 pm.
July, 2015 - We just returned from my Peru: Land of the Sun workshop sponsored by Viewpoint Photographic. Great photography, fascinating festivals, fabulous food and new friends! Stay tuned for our group exhibition in 2016.
March, 2015 - I will be exhibiting selections from my Bhutan series at Monterey Peninsula College Gallery with Mary Robinson, painter (professor, University of Georgia). The exhibition is titled Unquiet Reverence and runs from March 17 - April 24. Drop by the gallery if you're free.
February, 2015 - Richard will be exhibiting selections from his Bhutan portfolio at the Monterey Peninsula College (California) gallery from March 17 - April 24, 2015. An informative gallery talk is scheduled for March 25, 2015, at 6:00 PM. All are invited to this free presentation.
WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT, February, 2015 - I will be hosting another Peru: Land of the Sun workshop from July 9 - 22, 2015. Our itinerary includes visits to Peru's capital city of Lima, the Spanish colonial city of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Incan strongholds of Ollantaytambo and Pisac, and the colorful three day Viregen del Carmine festival. We will visit one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and renowned UNESCO World Heritage site of Machu Picchu, and the world's highest, navigable body of water, Lake Titicaca. The workshop is currently full but a waiting list is available.
January, 2015 - Richard Murai received Best in Show at The Center for Photographic Art’s (Carmel, CA) 2015 International Juried Portfolio Competition. Excerpts from Murai’s Tibet project were selected from over 120 portfolios and are featured at the CPA gallery (Sunset Center, Carmel, CA) from Jan 10 - Feb 28, 2015. An exhibition catalog of the selected work is available for purchase and can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/1Fdj8gD
January, 2015 - Fellow photographers on my Three Kingdoms: Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos workshop will be sharing their photographs at the Viewpoint Step Up Gallery (Sacramento) from June10 - July 4, 2015. A reception for the artists will be June 12, 5:30 - 8:30 PM>
WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT, February, 2014 - After last year’s successful workshop to the magical Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Richard will host another journey to photograph the Sacred Festivals of Bhutan, October 4 to 14, 2014. Centered around two venerated festivals, this inspirational and totally immersive workshop will enable participants to experience this mysterious and unspoiled treasure. The flexible itinerary will provide ample opportunity to intimately and creatively document Bhutan’s stunning landscapes, ancient monasteries, and its proud and welcoming people. This cost-conscious workshop is open to all skill levels and is limited to 12 photographers. For more infomation and to enroll: http://bit.ly/1dBCjGl
March, 2014 - Richard will be exhibiting selections from his Cambodia and Myanmar portfolios. Dancers, Deities and Demons will feature work from 2002 to the present and will run from April 9 - May 22, 2014. He is sharing the gallery with noted Monterey photographer and designer, Jerry Takigawa. You are invited to an opening reception April 11 from 6:00PM to 9:00PM. Pacific Grove Art Center, 568 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA. Richard will be delivering a gallery discussion on April 12, Saturday, 1:00 PM.For more info: www.pgartcenter.org
February, 2014 - My fellow photographers who joined me on the Sacred Festivals of Bhutan, September 15-25, 2013, wil be exhibiting their work at Viewpoint Photographic's Step Up Gallery, from March 5 - April 3, 2014. Please join us at the opening reception on March 7, 5:30PM- 8:30PM, 2015 J St., Sacramento, CA. Hope to see you! For more information: http://bit.ly/1hnmV0G
February, 2014 - Due to last year's successful Sacred Festivals of Bhutan workshop, I will be hosting a similar tour sponsored by Viewpoint Photographic, Sacramento, on October 4-14, 2014. For more information and to register for this exciting, totally immersive and cost conscious journey to the Land of the Thunder Dragon: http://bit.ly/1cNUIyS
April, 2013 - The Pacific Grove Arts Center (Monterey, CA) will be featuring over thirty photographs from my Bhutan, Laos and Tibet portfolios. The solo exhibition will run from April 12 - May 24, 2013. The opening reception is Friday, April 12, 7:00PM - 9:00PM, with a gallery discussion of the work the following day, Saturday, April 13, 1:00-2:00PM. PGAC is located at 569 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA. Call 831-375-2208 for hours. Please drop by if you are in the area.
February, 2013 - The Sacred Festivals of Bhutan - September 14-24, 2013 - I will be discussing the itinerary and highlights of my upcoming Viewpoint Photographic photography workshop to the Land of the Thunder Dragon - Bhutan. Join us on Friday, February 15, 7:00 pm, at Viewpoint Gallery, 2015 J St. Sacramento, CA. Limited to 14 photographers participants will experience Bhutan's remote culture, ancient monasteries, and its warm and welcoming people. Please contact me or see: www.viewpointgallery.org for more information.
February, 2013 - My fellow travelers and I will be sharing our photographs from the Peru: Land of the Sun workshop at Viewpoint Gallery's Step Up gallery. The exhibition runs from February 6 - March 2, 2013. Join us at the artists' reception on February 8, 5:30-8:30PM and Second Saturday, February 9, 5:00- 9:00PM. Viewpoint Gallery, 2015 J St, Sacramento, CA. For more information see: www.viewpointgallery.org
January, 2013 - The Center for Photographic Art 2013 Juried Exhibition selected six of Richard's Bhutan, Laos and Easter Island photographs for their online gallery and one for their gallery exhibition. The exhibition runs from January 12 - March 1, 2013. Center for Photographic Art, San Carlos at 9th Ave, Carmel, CA. To view the exhibition or for more information see: www.photography.org
July, 2012 - Eight photographers and I embarked on our two week Viewpoint Photographic journey to Peru: Land of the Sun. Our itinerary included visits to Peru's capital, Lima, the Spanish colonial city of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Incan strongholds of Ollantaytambo and Pisac, and the colorful and, at times, raucous three-day Virgen Del Carmine festival. We then found ourselves immersed amongst one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and an iconic symbol of the Incan civilization - Machu Picchu.
March, 2012 - Peru: Land of the Sun - Join us for the Peru workshop informational meeting - March 3, Saturday, 5:00 PM, at Viewpoint Gallery, 2015 J St. Sacramento, CA. We'll review the itinerary and answer questions.
March, 2012 - LensWork #99 - Rick's Bhutan (2009) portfolio will be featured in the upcoming March-April (#99) issue of LensWork - the esteemed USA fine art photography journal. An enjoyable Skype interview with Brooks Jensen (LW editor) was conducted recently so the DVD/download version is available now and the print version will hit the racks mid-March. This is Rick's third LensWork feature (#47 - Angkor Wat, #71 - Tibet) so we hope you have an opportunity to view an issue. See: www.lenswork.com
January, 2012 - SIGNS OF LIFE You are invited to a solo exhibition of Rick's Bhutan, Laos, Easter Island and Tibet portfolios at Viewpoint Photographic Gallery, 2015 J St., Sacramento, CA • 916-441-2341• Exhibition Dates: Wednesday, February 8 - Saturday, March 3, 2012• Artist Reception Date: Friday, February 10, 2012 • 5:30pm - 8:30pm• 2nd Saturday Reception: Saturday, February 11, 2012 • 5:30pm - 9:30pmRick will discuss his work during the Artist's Reception, February 10 @ 7:00PM, and will also be present at the 2nd Saturday Art Walk. Admission is free and all are invited to attend!For more info: www.viewpointgallery.org/exhibit/upcoming
January, 2012 - Peru: Land of the Sun! Viewpoint Photographic, Sacramento, CA, and Rick Murai, invite you to join us on a two week adventure photographing the people, stunning landscape and rich cultural traditions of the Peruvian Andes. From July 9 - 22, 2012, the journey will take us to Peru's capital city, Lima, onto the the Andean gateway of Cuzco with visits to the Sacred Valley (featuring the festival of Virgen del Carmen), the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu and the floating islands of Lake Titicaca. An optional three day extension to photographic the enigmatic Nazca lines is also available. This price conscious, totally immersive experience is open to any skill level and will provide ample time for individualized instruction, intense photographic exploration and quiet introspection. Upon our return participants will be able to share their work during an exhibition at Viewpoint's Step-Up gallery.For more information or to reserve a spot , www.viewpointgallery.org, or our travel expert, Stephanie Rudolph at Yampu Tours, 1-888-926-7801.
December, 2011 - The jurors for this year's Travel Photographer of the Year, 2011 (UK), selected "Tattered Prayer Flag, Chalea Pass, 2009" from Rick's Bhutan portfolio as Best Single Image in a portfolio. The award winning photograph will be exhibited at this year's TPOTY exhibition in Julyat the Royal Geographic Society's London exhibit hall.
May, 2011 - To celebrate the exhibition at the Royal Geographic Society, London, BBC Online news published an audiovisual slide show of the winning photos from the 2010 Travel Photographer of the Year. View it at: http://bbc.in/lMLHsx
April, 2011 - The Travel Photographer of the Year in conjunction with the Royal Geographic Society (London) will be exhibiting the winning photographs from the 2010 travel competition. The exhbition is from May 7- June 31 at the RGS' exhibition hall, Kensington, London. An awards ceremony will be held on May 8.
April, 2011 - Rick will host a one day Photoshop workflow class on May 21, 2010. Photoshop for the Digital Photographer will offer an easy and repeatable workflow that will ensure optimum files for exhibiton and publication. Topics will include RAW conversion, global vs local contrast and color correction, sharpening, archiving, etc. At the end of this enjoyable yet intensive day participants will have the opportunity to print their completed files. Space is limited. For more information please contact us.THIS CLASS IS FILLED. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US FOR FUTURE OFFERINGS.
April, 2011 - Tutti Fotografi (Italy) published photos and short interviews of the recipients of the 2010 Travel Photographer of the Year.It's in Italian however the online version can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/kK7o1J Grazie mille!
December , 2010 - The Travel Photographer of the Year 2010 (UK) awarded Richard Murai a first place in the World in Motion category for his open flash images from Bhutan. He also received a third place in the Amazing Places category for his nostalgic soft focus images from Laos. Richard is also a recipient of a Travel Photographer of the Year 2007 for his moving photograph of a lone Khmer woman gathering clams on the Tonle Sap Lake. For more information: http://bit.ly/ePvoe9
December, 2010 - Richard will be leading a Cambodia and Myanmar photography workshop from January 2 - 17, 2011. Sponsored by Viewpoint Photographic, Sacramento, CA. Travel services provided by Myths and Mountains, Incline Village, NV.
November, 2010 - Richard will be participating in a group show with sculptor and gallery owner John Mowen, (Nevada City) at the Placer County Arts Council Gallery. The exhibit will run from November 15, 2010 until January 7, 2011.
July, 2010 - Richard Murai was awarded the Juror's award for Photography at the California State Fair Fine Arts competition for his Sunset, Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos, 2009 photograph.
July 2010 - Digital Photo Magazine (DPM) published an article titled "It's the Lens, Baby!" featuring what else? Lensbabies!! A short statement by Richard and an image from the Laos series is included. Check it out: bit.ly/lToo8G
I'm honored to accept the position of Assistant Director, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA; an organization steeped in the lore and history of the Friends of Photography and the West Coast landscape tradition.