Artist’s Statement

The purest art is a product of personal exploration and discovery that leads to all kinds of possibilities in a variety a mediums and ways, including writing, poetry, painting, and sculpture. However, an entirely unfettered creative process can be difficult, but when it happens, the work is meaningful and fulfilling.

Early Work

1983 Silk Screen Monoprint 4 x 8ft
Purchased by Norwest Bank (Later merged with Wells Fargo)


1987 Untitled, Found objects, fiberglass, sticks, fabric, acrylic


Recent Work


Creation in Three Parts, 82 x 106 inches, Wood, Metal, Glass, LED lighting

2022. Selection of Glass Flowers for "Woman on a Pedestal". Glass, vitreous enameled copper, led lighting, copper vines


In progress photo of "Woman on a Pedestal"


S Richard Shook

Born 1955, Mason City, Iowa

1975 Solo Exhibit, Memorial Union, Iowa State University

1980 Exhibition of drawings, Drawing demonstration, Dahl Art Center, Rapid City, South Dakoa

1983 Iowa State University, College of Design. B Arts, Art and Design. Janice Peterson Anderson Award

1985 Staff Artist, Bloodgood Architects, Des Moines, Iowa

1987 Senior Artist/Designer, Matarazzo Design, Concord, NH

1988 Owner, The Graphics Workshop, Concord, NH

1990-1998 Owner, Dick Shook Graphics, Slater, Iowa

1998-2000 Principal, Shook Graphics, Inc.

2001 Senior Designer, Jensen Design Build, Ames, Iowa

2003 Owner, Dick Shook Design Build Construction, Slater, Iowa

2005 Senior Designer, Denny Ellwell Companies, Ankeny, Iowa

2006 Senior Designer, DES Companies, Des Moines, Iowa

2007 Principal, Iowa Arts Gallery, Inc. 501(c3)

2007-2012 The World Food Prize Foundation, celebrating the life and work of Iowan, Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Congressional gold medal recipient.

2007 “The Law of the Harvest”, Collection of the World Food Prize Foundation, Hall of Laureates, Des Moines, Iowa

2007 “Palimpsest” oil painting, Collection of the Slater Historical Museum 2007 “Family Night” oil painting, Permanent loan to the Slater Library, Slater, Iowa

2007 “Flower Arrangement” honorable mention, Dubuque Museum Biennial

2008 “Across Iowa” oil painting, Collection of the Ankeny Ward, Des Moines Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

2009-present S Richard Shook Fine Art

2010 Kelley Phone Booth Mural “Can You Hear Me?” Oil painting. Collection of Huxley Communications, Huxley, Iowa

2010 “Passing Time” collection of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Bear Creek Girls Camp, First Place, Oil Painting, Iowa State Fair Fine Arts exhibit

2012 “The Tree of Life” oil painting, collection of the Maxwell Historical Museum, Maxwell, Iowa

2013 “Bike Club,” “Swimming, “ ”One-on-One” oil paintings completed for the Polk County Health Department, Polk County, Des Moines, Iowa

2016 “The Octagon Imaginarium”, oil painting, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Octagon. Collection of the Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames, Iowa

2019 Solo exhibit, Clear Lake Art Center, Clear Lake, Iowa

2020 ACACIA Fraternity. Stained Glass series. Collection of the ACACIA Fraternal Organization.

2023 Solo Exhibition, “Woman on a Pedestal” Paintings and new sculpture. Dog Eared Books, Ames, Iowa.

Many works in private collections.