The sculptures of Richardo Norte reflect his desire to capture an unspeakable power through representations of the human figure. The artist explores oppositions by presenting classical forms with a contemporary edge, emphasizing a tactile presence by using both smooth and raw surfaces. Motivated by an appreciation for Ancient Greek sculpture and mythology, Richardo seeks to translate what was beautiful in Antiquity via the influences of today's world. He strives to express inner strength, power and determination through a fascination with beautiful forms.

Born in Frankfurt, Germany, and raised in Northern Virginia, Richardo grew up literally surrounded by art. His father - who held a degree in art and belonged to a local art guild - used Richardo's childhood room as a studio to create mosaics, paintings and etchings. Inspired by his father's work and by weekly visits to the Smithsonian Institution, Richardo developed an early passion for both classical and contemporary art. Richardo attended the University of Texas at El Paso, served as a first lieutenant in the medical services corps, and later relocated to Northern California. In 1996, when Richardo's father gave his own collection of 1950s etchings to his son, Richardo decided to follow his bliss and focus his life on art.

Richardo trained at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, expanding his creativity and honing his skills in drawing and sculpting. Motivated by the technical prowess evident in Michelangelo's Vatican paintings and Rodin's "Gates of Hell," Richardo furthered his own technique through explorations of the human form. He continues to study anatomy and to use drawing, painting, and digital graphics as ways of discovering new approaches to his three-dimensional work. As his work evolves, he moves from more formalist representations into greater abstraction. Richardo has worked largely in cast bronze. His most recent portfolio additions are a mixed media of bronze and fused glass. Additionally, he continues to explore the world of fused glass and precious metal coatings - (Dichroic) to produce opulent and unique sculptural wall hangings and free standing abstract figures.