Meet Richard Beavers

We were lucky to catch up with Richard Beavers recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Richard , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I was born with my purpose, it’s something that we all possess. The purpose is to make a positive impact in the community, lives of others and ultimately the world. I see myself as a vessel that God is using to do the work that he has intended for me. Purpose leads to passion, passion to vision that ultimately allows you to fulfill your assignment in life. Owning an art gallery where art is the tool that gives me the opportunity to engage my community using art as the catalyst to uplift, empower, educate, engage others while simultaneously using art to evoke critical thinking and conversation around topics that sometimes may be uncomfortable to discuss. Ultimately my purpose is my assignment from God. The lord chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in life. When you think of how you can be of service to others before yourself it’s far more rewarding. The materialistic possessions, recognition and accolades will come when you are of service to God.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Richard Beavers Gallery is a contemporary art gallery established in 2007. This coming October 25, 2025 we will be celebrating 18yrs since the founding of the gallery. In 2005 two years prior to the opening of our first gallery in BedStuy, Brooklyn I was selling ten and twenty dollar posters at 14th street Union Square, NYC. It all started with a five-thousand dollar loan from a family member. A traditional loan wasn’t an option like so many micro businesses, access to capital has always been difficult. Until recently it was the only business loan we’ve had in eighteen years. The loan was used to purchase everything needed for me to properly set-up and display the posters outdoors/indoors with a small amount going towards purchasing poster inventory. At the time I was working at MTV Networks as a full time staff employee Monday-Friday. I made a commitment to devote my Saturdays and Sundays during the summer months to this new business venture. I’d wake up at the crack of dawn so that I could get to 14th Street Union Square early enough to secure a prime location before the other street vendors arrived, the spaces weren’t reserved. Always looking for ways to expand my business while also growing my customer base I started creating my own tear sheets of artwork and turned them into these homemade catalog books that I would share with my co-workers at MTV this allowed me to offer a much larger inventory of posters for purchase. Around this same time I discovered EBay which was a revolutionary online e-commerce marketplace for businesses and entrepreneurs like myself to sell their products and merchandise. I opened up an EBay store listed a few dozen posters and overtime went from selling a few posters a month to becoming a power seller that sold 300+ posters a month. My EBay store eventually had hundreds of poster listings and was one of the top sellers of posters on their marketplace. Within a few years the various business ventures allowed me to leave the security of my stable job at MTV of 12yrs to open a gallery. The vision for Richard Beavers Gallery was to be a culture institution that serviced the Black arts community and surrounding neighborhoods. The foundation of our existence is based in community making certain our stories are told, preserved, respected, prioritized and honored. Artwork that depicts the various aspects of every day life in the inner city of Black and brown neighborhoods; while also addressing the sociopolitical issues that are prevalent in these communities today. The gallery would represent the individuals that makeup these communities that don’t see themselves or stories as the focus in contemporary art. We would also make art accessible to undeserved communities to experience the transformative aspects of art and how it could make such a positive impact in peoples lives. Even though these neighborhoods were rich in culture and history it wasn’t a place where art galleries typically existed. Why should residents of these communities have to leave outside of their neighborhood to have access to Black art going into spaces where in many instances they felt uncomfortable, weren’t welcomed or couldn’t travel for a number of reasons. A gallery that would identify artists early in their careers that were being overlooked that maybe didn’t have the so-called credentials that many galleries required yet they were immensely talented they merely needed resources, encouragement and opportunity. Options during that time were rare because many of the galleries outside our community weren’t interested or didn’t have the capacity to represent artists of color. Many didn’t understand the culture, messaging or stories in the artwork. Richard Beavers Gallery filled that void, a rare space that provided artist development, resources, mentorship and an opportunity for artists to exhibit their works while introducing the work to potential collectors. Our gallery wouldn’t just be a space for artistic creativity, but also for education and philanthropy through our community outreach initiatives such as financial literacy/entrepreneur workshops, youth art classes, working with community based organizations and fundraisers. We also focused on establishing an ecosystem where the circulation of Black dollars would be reinvested back into our community resulting in job creation for people of color that have an interest in working in the art industry in various different capacities. Some of these jobs are art writers, curators, art installers, videographers, sales people, art handlers, and internships to name a few. Historically these employment opportunities weren’t often available to people of color in the art industry. Our commitment has opened up the doors of opportunity for many that didn’t previously exist. These doors were opened for me by early galleries like Savacou Gallery, Clinton Hill Simply Art and Framing, and Dorsey’s Gallery that paved the way for me. It’s my obligation and responsibility to now carry the baton as far as possible until it’s time for me to pass it on to the next generation to embark on their journey into the art industry. Over the past decade the gallery and vision has grown exponentially from selling posters on the streets on 14th St Union Sq to being viewed as on of the more successful Black owned galleries in the world. Working with and representing a number of the most sought after visual artists in the country. We’ve exhibited in many of the prestigious art fairs, Scope Miami, Untitled Miami, and Expo Chicago. The gallery recently announced our debut at The Armory Show (Booth 214) in New York City, September 5-7, 2025, it’s one of the most revered international art fairs and a cornerstone of Frieze Programming. This opportunity marks a defining moment for our gallery and the artists we represent. We’ve also ventured into other aspects of the art business there’s Richard Beavers Gallery publishing of art books and catalogs, Richard Beavers Gallery Editions which are limited editions of artwork created by the artists we represent that are available exclusively through our gallery. There’s also our most recent launching of Richard Beavers Gallery merchandise of t-shirts, tote bags and other gift items.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The qualities, skills or areas of knowledge that have been impactful in my journey would begin with passion, dedication, discipline and resiliency. Without these qualities it would’ve been possible to be successful in sustaining and scaling my business. . It’s important to read, study the industry, take courses, you should be constantly learning and growing to become as knowledgeable as you can in whatever industry or business venture you decide to go into. If you’re not proficient in the industry then you’re already at a disadvantage; it’s extremely competitive in the business world. Mentorship is something else to consider. I’ve been fortunate to have mentors that have guided me and provided me with invaluable information and wisdom that would’ve taken me decades if ever to obtain. My advice to anyone early in their journey they can best develop or improve in these areas is to remain authentic and honest with yourself, consistently show up when representing yourself, brand and business. Don’t allow yourself to become too comfortable, push yourself to work outside of your comfort zone. It’s necessary for professional and personal growth. Be passionate about what you do, focus on the customer’s experience, always provide the best service or product and don’t take shortcuts. Remember that people are always watching even when you don’t realize that they are. Be mindful that every person you come into contact with can be a life changing experience for the better, never underestimate or prejudge anybody that individual you look past could’ve forever changed the trajectory of your business. No person has the power to take away what God has already planned for you. You were born for greatness; live your dreams.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my mother Mary Beavers-Wilson did for me was she chose life for me. My mother was a 16yr old pregnant teenager, that was single, unemployed, homeless with no employable skills or plan at the time. She was faced with the decision of aborting or giving me up for adoption yet she still chose me in spite of her hardships and insurmountable obstacles ahead of her. I was raised with love, exposed to culture and given a strong sense of identity and purpose. She sacrificed her childhood to raise and child. I am forever grateful to her she’s one of my inspirations and hero’s.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.richardbeaversgallery.com
• Instagram: richardbeaversgallery
• Facebook: Richard Beavers Gallery
• Twitter: rbeaversgallery
• Youtube: Richard Beavers Gallery
• Soundcloud: Richard Beavers Gallery
• Other: TikTok: Richard Beavers Gallery

Image Credits

Daniel Grier
Oluwaseye
Rashida Zagon