Richard B. Aakre was born and raised in the lakes region of northern Minnesota.  A lifelong love of the natural world began here.  After receiving a joint degree in zoology and art from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he went on to receive an MFA from the University of Iowa in painting and drawing.  At the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Mass., he met Myron Stout, Jack Tworkov, and Robert Motherwell who later hired him a a studio assistant. 

He has received awards from the National Insitute and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Creative Artists Program Service (New York State).

His work has been exhibited at the Tweed Gallery (University of Minnesota), University Gallery (University of Iowa), Fine Arts Work Center (Provincetown, MA), National Institute and American Academy of Arts and Letters Invitational (New York City), Andre Emmerich Gallery (New York City), and the Tyler Art Gallery (SUNY, Oswego).

 More recently, his six inch square assemblage incorporate objects found in nature such as shells, seeds, and lichens, and postage stamps that form the basis of the work.