Born in 1961 in Berchem (Antwerp, Belgium), Richard studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Between 1987 and 1989, he furthered his artistic training focusing on anatomical drawing under the guidance of Harold Van de Perre at the Sint Lucas Institute in Ghent.

Since 1983, Janssens has participated in numerous exhibitions in Belgium and internationally.

The artist explores the complex relationship between the human condition in today's society and the emotions it triggers in individuals, revealing the nuances and difficulties of modern existence.

The creative process begins with a mental image, which is then transformed into a painting. The first step is the transformation of the initial idea into an image that is relevant to the message the artist wishes to convey. The composition of the piece is defined in this phase and determines the size of the canvas. Then, the background is applied, serving as the foundation for the first sketch. In this phase, aspects of light and shadow are defined. The work gradually grows, brushstroke by brushstroke, with colors that determine its emotional dimension.

With the painting 'Awakening' he obtained the First prize Bernard De Pooter award in 1997.

With the paintings 'Riding' and 'Oncoming traffic' he obtained the Second Prize Anto Diez Award in 1997.