Meet the Artist – Richard Monks (RCA)

Richard’s work is abstract, painted from memories gathered in the landscape over the seasons. It includes familiar elements – shapes observed on regular walks around the Lake District, Liverpool and the Llyn Peninsula where he divides much of his time; field patterns on the fellside, rock formations along the coastline, or the remains of an industrial era beside the Mersey. With these as his inspiration he builds up layers of paint in an intuitive way; scraping, sanding, scouring to reveal hidden details – responding to the marks themselves, constantly looking to see what emerges – contrasts – relationships between colour and form. So that the final work, whilst not immediately recognisable, retains a sense of time and place.