STORY OF AN ARTIST
Rob Ritchie
I love painting – I always have & I always will. I was born in London, and from a very young age I had an interest in art and was always painting and drawing. My painting remained a hobby until 1993, at age 27, when I decided to make it my full-time career.
I have had no formal training and am completely self-taught. I have continually worked at improving and refining my skill in painting over many years, & continue to do so. My painting career started with a solo exhibition in Richmond, London, then I went on to selling my work on the famous railings at Green Park, Piccadilly.
After re-locating from London to Herefordshire in 2003, I expanded into selling to galleries. Purchases have blossomed and led to a successful career, with galleries eager to stock my work. I spent some time in the field of miniaturism, & exhibitions in London have been received with sell-out shows of these miniature paintings, which has earned some recognition and special awards from London galleries, the Royal Miniature Society, the Hilliard Society of Miniaturists and the Florida Miniature Art Society, with my work being purchased by the Hilliard Society for their permanent collection.
I prefer now to concentrate on painting life size & am fascinated by light & shade, & the imperfections & timelessness of my studies. My preferred medium is oil, and whilst I specialise in still life, I do enjoy painting flowers, landscapes and the odd portrait as well. I am inspired and attracted to light and reflections, with an ambitious attention to tone and detail. I aim for my work to possess an appeal which is timeless, with the use of blending the traditional old master’s techniques along with a contemporary setting of items and a harmony of colour, shadow and composition. I hope this gives my paintings an individuality, merging both contemporary and traditional styles.