Guide to the Obenchain Drawings and Paintings Collection (1970s – 1980s)

Richard Forrest Obenchain, also known as Dick Obenchain (1944–) was a native of Brooklyn, New York before moving to Santa Cruz and becoming an illustrator. He attended the University of Kanas where he obtained a Bachelor of Architecture in 1967 and worked as an architectural draftsman. He spent four years in the Navy as a navigator for the USS Kennebec and as a U.S. advisor aboard Vietnamese riverboats (richardobenchaingallery.com). Eventually he would come to San Francisco and to Santa Cruz where he started his own Architectural Graphics business at his studio on Potrero Street in Santa Cruz. He exhibited in many galleries and museums, such as the A.R. Wood Gallery at the Santa Cruz Art Center in July of 1981. There, he showed some watercolor landscapes of Sand Hill Beach (S.C. Sentinel 7/2/1981). According to his resume and the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Obenchain showed at other galleries throughout California such as the Erickson Gallery, Palo Alto, CA in 1975 and the P.G. & E. Corporate Gallery in San Francisco in 1984 as well as having exhibitions at the Santa Cruz County Art Museum (now the SC MAH) in 1984 and the Santa Cruz City Museum in 1985 (now the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History), and at the Santa Cruz Library (S.C. Sentinel 3/6/1980). Obenchain was skillful in several artistic mediums such as oil, watercolor, and pen and ink. In 1981 Obenchain showed some tropical landscapes painted in oil and some Santa Cruz county scenes at Studio Glassart in Capitola (S.C. Sentinel 2//15/1981). In 1982 Obenchain showed at the County Government Center with fellow Santa Cruz County artist Marsha Blaker, where Obenchain had about forty (40) scenes of local areas (S.C. Sentinel 10/1/1982). In the 1980’s Obenchain spent two years plein-air (outdoor painting) painting along the Coast of North Santa Cruz County. He completed many artworks which were shown at the Courtyard Restaurant in Soquel in February 1982. During this time he was represented by Pace-Price Gallery of San Francisco and Maui Hyatt Regency Gallery (S.C. Sentinel 2/18/1982). Obenchain would develop a fascination with the tropics due to his time in the Navy in which he visited Hawaii. His first visit to Hawaii led to an interest in the landscapes of Hawaii where he moved in 1988 (bio at richardobenchaingallery.com). Richard Obenchain currently creates beautiful tropical landscapes which can be viewed at his website richardobenchaingallery.com. According to his biography on the website, Richard Obenchain currently resides on a ranch in the Mule Mountains of Bisbee in Southeast Arizona.

SERIES I. OBENCHAIN PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS

One (1) Box

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This series consists of a collection of twenty-eight (28) paintings and drawings by artist Dick Obenchain. In this collection are three (3) watercolors, seven (7) watercolors and ink drawings, and sixteen (16) pen and ink drawings. Also in the collection were two (2) Felt Tip Pen drawings [84.1.27 & 84.1.28] which were entitled “Two Story Gold House” and “Birds Eye View of Residential Area”; however these two pieces are now unaccounted for. The works are in great condition ranging in size from approx. 8” x 10” at the smallest, to approx. 18W” x 24H” at the largest. The artworks are of various scenes and houses throughout Santa Cruz County such as Evergreen Cemetery (84.1.19), Neary’s Lagoon and Beach Hill (84.1.5, 84.1.11), West Cliff Drive (84.1.22), and many others. All the artworks are dated, and signed with the signature “Obenchain” and captioned or titled, except for five artworks with the accession numbers 84.1.23-84.1.25 and 84.1.27-28. These works are unaccounted for or missing.

This series is divided into the following subseries:

I.A. Watercolors
I.B. Watercolor and Ink
I.C. Pen and Ink Drawings

SUBSERIES I.A. WATERCOLORS

Three (3) Paintings

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of three (3) large, approx. 14W”x10 ½ H” watercolor paintings by artist Dick Obenchain. The paintings are in good condition, on thick, beige watercolor paper and were painting in 1980-81. Scenes are of the Santa Cruz County area and Davenport. The watercolors in this subseries are entitled “Sand Hill Beach, Davenport” (84.1.1) and “Yacht Harbor” (84.1.3). The third painting in this subseries was entitled “Evergreen Cemetery 17 Nov. 1981” (84.1.2), however it is unaccounted for or missing. In this subseries are accession numbers 84.1.1 through 84.1.3.

BOX ID#:

Box 1

SUBSERIES I.B. WATERCOLOR AND INK

Seven (7) artworks

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of seven (7) artworks by Dick Obenchain that are ink drawings filled in with watercolor. These artworks range in size from approx. 7 ¼”W x 9 ¾”H at the smallest to 13 7/8”W x 10 ¼”H at the largest. The artworks are in good condition and are of scenes such as: Beach Hill from Neary’s Lagoon (84.1.5), Lighthouse Field (84.1.6-7), and Corcoran Lagoon (84.1.10) among others. In this subseries are accession numbers 84.1.4 through 84.1.10. 84.1.10 is a watercolor with no pen and ink.

BOX ID#:

Box 1

SUBSERIES I.C. PEN AND INK DRAWINGS

Eighteen (18) drawings

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of sixteen (16) pen and ink drawings by Dick Obenchain completed in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s and two (2) felt tip pen drawings. The drawings are of scenes throughout Santa Cruz County such as Beach Hill (84.1.18 and 84.1.11), Mission Hill (84.1.16), West Cliff Drive (84.1.22), City Hall (84.1.14), Evergreen Cemetery (84.1.19), Locust Street (84.1.17) and many others. The drawings are in good condition and range in size from 9 ½”Wx 10 ½”H at the smallest to approx. 24”W x 18”H at the largest. The accession numbers in this subseries include 84.1.11 through 84.1.26. Accession numbers 84.1.23 through 84.1.25 appear to be missing or unaccounted for. Also in this subseries would be two (2) Felt Tip Pen drawings that appear on an itemized list dated 6/14/84 for the donation of the artworks from R.F. Obenchain to the S.C. Museum of Art and History, however these artworks are also unaccounted for. These works were entitled “Two Story Gold House” (84.1.27) and “Bird’s Eye View of Residential Area” (84.1.28). These works were unsigned and undated.

BOX ID#:

Box 1