Richard Hankins grew up in Virginia where he attended Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a BFA in Scenic and Lighting Design.

After college Hankins was resident designer for The Virginia Museum Theatre, The American Revels Company, and The Brunswick Music Theater. His extensive credits in legitimate theater includes designing scenery and lighting for over forty theatrical productions, receiving seven awards and numerous nominations for his scenic and lighting designs.

In New York City Hankins spent twelve years designing for television, including NBC and CBS, receiving two Emmy Awards and six nominations, as well as the CBS Lou Dorfman Excellence in Design Award.

In 1994, Hankins moved to Los Angeles to Production Design over 200 episodes of NYPD Blue (filmed entirely in LA), receiving two Emmy nominations and a Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors Excellence in Design nomination. Hankins also designed the first season of Saving Grace (TNT) and seasons two and three of Private Practice (ABC) as well as many other projects.

In 2010 Hankins retired and moved to Wilmington, happily painting and creating. Every two weeks, for over 12 years, he and Newman (his Norwich Terrier) entertain friends, neighbors and fellow artists with his outdoor potluck dinner movie nights (The Wilmingtonian Theater).

Hankins is a member of the Motion Picture and Television Art Directors Guild local 800, the United Scenic Artists local 829, and The Television Academy of Arts and Sciences.