Richard John Prasch was born on September 11, 1918 in Seattle Washington. He studied art at the California Institute of Fine Arts between 1937 and 1938; the Art Center School of Design in Las Angeles, 1939 through 1941. After World War II he returned to school, studying at the University of Washington in 1948 and finally at the University of Oregon in 1951, where he received his MFA.

In 1955 Dick Prasch began teaching art at Seattle University, moving on to then teach at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Oregon and finally at Portland State College (now University).

Prasch exhibited at the Henry Gallery and with the Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery. He also exhibited extensively in the 1950s in Washington, Oregon, California and Colorado. A review of his exhibition in Portland in 1959 described Portland as seen through the artist’s eyes: “the relationship of colors, shapes…..the city in reflective mood after hours.” His later work became more abstracted.

Richard (Dick) Prasch died in Portland, Oregon in September 1 of 1986.