1908-1985
Richard Sigafoos was an impressionist painter, muralist, illustrator and teacher who was born and raised in Buffalo. He studied at the Rochester Mechanics Institute and the Albright Art School, where he would later teach. He also studied privately under Urquhart Wilcox and Alexander Levy. Sigafoos was a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists and exhibited regularly, winning awards in 1935, 1937, 1938, and 1939.He also served as its president from 1947-1948.
Sigafoos designed commercial works and illustrations for several local advertisers and worked as a production illustrator at the Bell Aircraft Corporation. He also partnered with fellow artist George Albach to create murals for the Chicago Tribune Tower, Kensington Methodist Church, and the Ailing and Cory Paper Company. Growing tired of the bustling city, Sigafoos settled in Chautauqua County to be closer to the landscape scenes he loved to paint. He maintained a home and studio on Chautauqua Lake.