Born in Montréal in 1950, son of artist Rolland Montpetit, he started painting at the age of 20. Around 1985, he and Antoine Bittar explored sketching. It is a turning point. Buoyed by this enthusiasm, they travel to France, Venice, Mexico, the Caribbean, Portugal and Morocco, bringing back paintings which become in great demand. Represented in galleries since 1979, Richard participates in several collective and solo exhibitions.