Richard Pikesley NEAC

For Richard, painting is a conversation with the visual world and starts with painting in front of the subject. It is always a matter of finding equivalents, in paint, for light and space and seeing the world ‘in paint’ continues to be an obsession.

Method of Working

For Richard, painting starts with an immediate response. Seeing, perhaps, an effect of light which really grabs his attention, the first step will usually be a painting – made fast enough to get the moment down. After years of working with oil paint and watercolour, their familiarity means he can rely on working quite instinctively at this stage. The moment passes and he usually needs more information especially if he feels it could become a bigger painting. The next stage will often be to make a more considered drawing, which might take many hours. Bigger paintings might be started in the studio and when practical taken back to the location and completed on the spot.

Biographical Details

• Served for many years on Executive committee of New English Art Club and as President since 2013
• 1974 Elected member of New English Art Club
• 1973–74 University of London Institute of Education
• 1970–73 Canterbury College of Art, School of Fine Art
• 1969–70 Harrow School of Art

Other Societies

• Royal Watercolour Society (RWS)

Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

• 2001 Winner, Chairman’s Prize & South West Regional Prize, The Discerning Eye
• 2001 Winner, £1000 Painter’s Prize, Alresford Gallery
• 1998 Winner, Woodhay Drawing Prize
• 1998 Finalist, Singer Friedlander / Sunday Times Watercolour Prize

Past Exhibitions

• 2015 One Man Show, Russell Gallery, London
• 2014 One Man Show, West Country Meanderings, Jerram Gallery
• 2013 One Man Show, Russell Gallery, London
• 2012 One Man Show, New Paintings, Jerram Gallery, Sherborne
• ​2011 One Man Show, Russell Gallery, London
• ​2010 Four British Impressionists, Oakham Gallery, London
• 2010 The Magic & Poetry of Everyday Life, Messum’s, Cork Street, London
• 2010 One Man Show, New Paintings, Jerram Gallery, Sherborne

Publications

• The New English (represented in, 2006) by Kenneth McConkey, ISBN 1903973988
• Watercolour Masters, Then & Now (contributor, along with other members of the RWS) ISBN 184403447X
• The Watercolour Expert (contributor, along with other members of the RWS, 2004) ISBN 1844031497
• Oils Workshop (1997) ISBN 0004129644