I was talking to Richard last week saying that I was not sure what I was going to write for this introduction, this being Richard’s seventh one-man exhibition with us I was concerned about finding something fresh to say. But there was one thing I did want to say and that I thought I would simply write it in great big letters and leave it at that – “Richard is painting brilliantly!”

I went on to say to Richard that we always knew that he was good – getting better and better but now – well, it leaves me speechless.

I have seen about twenty of the paintings and I find them breathtaking. They catch the eye and draw you in – I go in closer to examine every square inch, the paint, the colour, the brush marks, then step back and see the painting as a whole, then you seem to be invited back in close again – I can’t drag myself away, I sense I’m becoming obsessed – and so it should be with paintings.

I think Richard would agree that there has been a continuing subtle change in tone and in colour. We are familiar with the subject matter of many of the paintings but Richard continues to find a fresh and new way to capture the images and put them onto canvas. (Unlike my struggles to find something fresh and new to put into words – there lays the difference; I am neither a skilled nor a natural writer whereas Richard is a very skilled and a natural painter. My passion is for what I am writing about not for the writing; I could happily never write again, Richard has to paint all the time. Oh, to have that skill in any walk of life!)

We are thrilled that Richard continues to show with us, as you know his exhibitions are always a highlight for us personally. He will be here at the Private View on Sunday 15th June so do come and meet him, and at the risk of sounding boring as I have said it before, the paintings speak for themselves – come and let them speak to you.

The Gallery will be open for viewing only on Saturday 14th June, for those of you who do not know we run a system of “reserving” whereby a painting can be “reserved” but it remains on open sale for the first fifteen minutes of the Sunday Private View. If it remains unsold after the fifteen minute period it is automatically sold to the person who “reserved” it. You may of course come on Sunday to buy it in person in which case, remember, it is a question of first come, first served.



Forthcoming Exhibitions – 2008

June 15th – July 15th Richard Pikesley RWS NEAC

July 20th – Sept 2nd Summer Exhibition by Gallery Artists, a changing exhibition

Sept 7th – Sept 30th Kevin Hughes RI

Oct 5th - 28th Leslie Worth PPRWS NEAC and Sheila Tilmouth

Nov 2nd - 25th Moira Huntly PPS RWA RI

Nov 30th - Jan 2009 Christmas Exhibition