By Dr. James Bertsch, Class of 1988.

Catharsis – Purify, cleanse, clarify

Few terms describe the work and art of Richard Sele (SHS 79′) as well. The relief he experienced creating beautiful works helped him process the challenges he encountered making the world a safer place.

Richard is one of Sayville High School’s most storied artists. That Richard was also General Sele (US Army) speaks to the range of gifts of our very special feature. To think his remarkable journey began at his childhood home on Seville Blvd and at Sunrise Drive Elementary School!

Please see Richard’s professional portfolio at his website: https://impactart.weebly.com/ . You can email Richard regarding interest in purchasing an original or print: richardsele67@gmail.com. All originals are one of a kind.

Brigadier General (Retired) Richard K. Sele served in the United States Army for 35 years, beginning his career as a linguist and interrogator. Richard retired in 2018 as the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). He served in 5 conflict zones and in a number of strategic positions. He served in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, with the United Nations in Sarajevo and coordinated humanitarian relief in East Timor, for example. Beyond his incredible art work, and as an extension of his service, Richard is also a scholar, publishing numerous articles on national security.

Yet as the incredible work in this post makes clear, Richard is a talented artist. That is where this story begins. Richard learned not from formal training. Instead, his creativity is rooted in who he is, his commitment to his craft. How he’s been written on by life and how he made sense (and beauty) of those experiences set him apart from any artist I know.

Richard was a Little Artist. He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t drawing, to the point that a painting of a 5 year-old Richard drawing (titled the Little Artist) was shown in a NYC exhibit. He began with pencil but worked with charcoal in art class at Sayville High School. Some of his cartoons were published in the SHS paper at the time, The Blotter, where he served as Editor-in-Chief.

Richard’s gifts found their clearest expression in scratchboard, which he learned at SHS with Ms. Friedlander. While he put much of his art off for a time, he refocused on scratchboard in 2010. It is considered one of the most difficult (and precise!) mediums because each mark is permanent.

A new art form, originating in the 19th century to illustrate books, scratchboard is a form of direct engraving. You work with a scalpel on a three-layer medium comprised of 1/8″ masonite panel as a support. On top of that is white clay and then a thick layer of India black ink. Richard shared an illustration that further explains this art form. Colored inks can be added to the white, exposed parts of the work.

Civil War General Sherman once remarked that war is hell. Richard understands that better than most. Yet how he processed those experiences puts him a category of his own.

When he was in a very hard military command, Rich needed to get his mind off work. He bought some scratchboard materials from a base and created a work of his dogs. That led to a portrait of a Nepalese Sadhu holy man that was displayed in a gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Still managing high stress levels, he then completed a solo show at the Malco Theater in Hot Springs in conjunction with Veterans Day.

His work focused back then on the horrors associated with war, famine, genocide, conflict, and humankind hardship. Richard explains that his scratchboard technique back then was pretty rudimentary compared to now. His unrefined approach at the time seemed to actually suit his subjects.

When Richard tackles a project, he devotes himself entirely to the work…..BODY…MIND…SPIRIT. Richard studies his subjects extensively. He’s completed a number of Native American portraits, for example, and immersed himself in the Trail of Tears and the “atrocities they endured as they were forced from their land.” Richard devoted similar scholarship learning about the Holocaust when he created a piece called “Dachau.” Richard had been to Dachau twice yet studying the Holocaust helped him become “more emotionally attached to the work as I learned more.”

I have never encountered an artist with his level of devotion. “Many of these pieces took a mental toll on me while I worked on them.” Richard continued and “sometimes I’d have to take a short break before starting another piece. Other times I decided to work on something more light-hearted such as a music icon or movie character. This gave me a little relief before starting another piece on a darker subject.”

Richard continues to learn. He’s now expanded his portfolio to wildlife. Again, though, Richard showed the same responsibility he took on in the military and in much of his art. He focuses on animals at risk of extinction, especially the tiger.

Time stops when he creates. “What really draws me to scratchboard is the dramatic feeling that the medium produces,” Richard explained. When you see his works up close, the level of detail is astounding. “Eventually it evolved into a type of meditative therapy…I’ll often immerse myself into the subject matter and process. I’ve gone 12+ hours straight working on a piece without realizing I missed a couple of meals and it was 1am. My focus is entirely on the work.”

I am incredibly proud that our community had some role in shaping the life and work of Richard Sele. His contributions to world peace through his service make him someone that made a difference. That he reshaped the pain he experienced doing his duty–art that pays tribute to those he helped and is beautiful–make him one of the most extraordinary people I will ever know.

Please join me, then, in thanking Richard for his military service. Thank him as well for his contributions to the arts. Importantly, I also want to thank Richard for showing us that the horrors of humanity are still eclipsed by its beauty.