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Stan Rice



Stan Rice (1942 - 2002) was the author of eight collections of poetry, including Red to the RindRadiance of Pigs and False Prophet(published posthumously, 2003). For many years he was associated with San Francisco State University where he was Professor of English, Chairman of the Creative Writing program, and Assistant Director of the Poetry Center. In 1977, he received the Edgar Allen Poe Award of the Academy of American Poets for Whiteboy. He was also the recipient of the Joseph Henry Jackson Award and a writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Alfred A, Knopf, New York, published a large-scale monograph, Paintings by Stan Rice in 1997.

Stan Rice paintings are represented in the collections of The Ogden Museum of Southern Art and The New Orleans Museum of Art. He had a one person show at the James W. Palmer Gallery, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York. The Art Galleries of Southeastern Louisiana presented an exhibition of selected paintings in March 2005. Prospective plans are underway to present exhibitions of Rice’s paintings at various locations in Mexico.

On December 9, 2002, Stan Rice died of cancer at age 60 in New Orleans where he lived with his wife, the novelist Anne Rice, and their son, the novelist Christopher Rice.

For on Mr. Rice's life and works, visit the Stan Rice Web Site, newly updated with videos of the poet.


Paintings Photo Gallery View a Photo Gallery of Stan Rice's Paintings that hang in Little Paradise in the Desert (last updated 6/12/07). A note from the photographer:

"The concept of this project is not to look at the whole of a Stan Rice painting. But rather it is an intimate look at his art — the closeness of a face, the texture of oils upon the canvas, the unique nuances of the paintings of Stan Rice that hang in Little Paradise in the Desert."

-- Becket M. Ghioto


Letter from Ross Tafaro, Executive Director: I seldom write to Anne's web site, only usually about something really important. This time I have the sad duty to write about Stan Rice's death.

I feel that people should know more about this good man. Stan was probably the most devoted poet and painter one could ever imagine. Even when his entire left side was paralyzed and he was unable to walk, Stan requested our employees to carry him up two flights of stairs so he could work. Eventually, we got a chair lift. All this time he was undergoing radiation five times a week for six weeks and on chemotherapy. He was able to complete three large exceptional paintings and some poetry. All requiring the most courageous effort on his part under increasingly debilatating circumstances. If you had only seen what a great effort it required for him to do this, you would have partially understood how totally devoted he was to his work. Once in the studio, even what would be considered the simplest task, such as opening a tube of paint or picking up something dropped on the floor, required a great effort on his part. He was a purist and his courage and devotion to his work was unparalleled. And his creations are beautiful. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to see them.

Stan was a man's man. His integrity, sense of justice and fairness were beyond reproach. He gave people the benefit of the doubt in all cases and was an excellent judge of character. But he didn't have time for untruthfulness or trivial nonsense. And he clearly let you know that, you didn't make that same mistake twice.

He had a great sense of humor, when he found something funny he laughed with his whole body. And it was a wonderful thing for those around to experience. He told great jokes and we had a great deal of fun at the end of each day when he visited my office.

The man was absolutely brilliant, his knowledge was in no way limited to just art and literature. He was a storehouse of knowledge on almost any subject. On many days, if Anne and I had encountered a question for which we were at a loss, Anne would always say, "We can check with Stan this evening," and in most cases he had the answer.

Believe me, I feel like I could write pages about Stan, and I hope that one day a better writer than I does, because he deserves whatever honor can be bestowed. And many could learn from the way in which Stan lived.

He was a good friend and I will miss him greatly.

--Ross Tafaro, Executive Director



Christopher Rice

Anne son, Christopher, is a New York Times Bestselling Novelist.  He is also the co-host of The Dinner Party Show.  Anne has appeared on The Dinner Party Show five times.

Christopher Rice Official Site
The Dinner Party Show:



The O’Brien Family

Front Cover

Back Cover
Anne Rice and Alice Borchardt were groomed to be writers, not by spending their summers in Europe, or interning at a publishing house. But by a father who returned home from military service after World War II. He realized he needed to reintroduce himself to two little girls who had been just babies when he left home. He sat down at his Underwood typewriter in their home on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, and wrote a novel for Alice and Anne. It's called The Impulsive Imp.

Good News; a novel written by my father has received an excellent
review in Kirkus. Kirkus Review