[Pictured above: “Yellow Boat” by Richard Elliott]

The Luxury Channel speaks to artist Richard Elliott about what first led him to create sculptural paintings, the significance of ships in his pieces – and how he once nearly fell into one of his artworks….

You recently exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art’s Summer Exhibition again – what has the feedback been?

This was my sixth year exhibiting at the Royal Academy.  It’s always difficult to gauge what being in an exhibition has done in terms of feedback.  Obviously, selling the work is the most telling, and that’s always a wonderful moment.  However, the main thing about showing at the Royal Academy is that it’s a chance to exhibit in a prestigious space with fellow contemporary artists with a huge footfall of people seeing the work.  Certainly, one way to see feedback is via Instagram, and it’s always great to see an image of my work being posted by other people.  Although this year my work was also included in a promotional BBC video presented by H from the pop group Steps!  Another highlight was the opportunity to work on a commission for a client based on the work shown.  Showing at the Royal Academy for me is a return.  I am a graduate of the RA schools; I spent 3 years there on a Painting Post Diploma in the late 1990s.  Being a student in such a vibrant and fantastic setting gave me the time and space to consolidate ideas, and so going back is always a reunion of sorts.

What made you ultimately choose your style of art?  

My process lies between painting and sculpture.  The paintings are tactile diaries, remnants of my life.  I am interested in the texture of things.  I often use a lot of paint, sometimes several inches thick.  This ultimately led me to start making sculptural paintings.  Whilst at the Royal Academy Schools as a student, I was often working amongst the collection of ancient architectural wall pieces.  This was undoubtedly an influence on my work, as I loved the physicality of the plaster pieces and their three-dimensional presence.  The indulgence of play, allowing myself to be intuitive and spontaneous with the material, gives rise to new directions and surprises, and informs each work as it grows.  Ultimately leading me to where I am now.

Where does the inspiration for your work generally come from?

My inspiration stems from a continuous line of enquiry.  Starting a painting, more often than not, is an attempt to answer the questions raised in previous work.  They are in conversation with each other.  The world around me influences my art.  I find inspiration in the natural world, often incorporating found objects from beaches and riverbanks into my pieces.  Recently, I’ve begun using scaled models such as buildings, boats and trees as focal points, opening up a narrative from within the object or painting.

Ships and boats feature quite prominently in your works – do you have a special maritime interest, or is it more the artistic possibilities that such vessels allow?

While trying to think about this question, I’ve realised that all my previous studios have been by rivers or the sea; my present one being at the working harbour in Rye, in East Sussex.  Strangely, I wasn’t even aware of this aspect of my working practice!  Being on an island, ships are always going to be loaded with emotive associations which generously allow the work a certain resonance.  I also love the idea of sailing away, the escape and adventure, unrealised dreams.

What is your favourite piece that you have created to date, and what makes it so special?

The current work in progress on my studio wall at any one time always feels like the most important work.  The emotional connection is strongest, it has a tangible hold over me, and ideas are the freshest.  I am afraid to say this connection wanes once a new one has begun!

What was your most ambitious piece, and what were the challenges involved with its creation?

One of my most memorable pieces was a large-scale painting titled “50 Kilos” made in 2002.  This work was a challenge in both scale and spontaneity, requiring me to use a massive amount of acrylic paint with its relatively fast drying time.  The idea was to create a monumental painting celebrating a specific moment in time.  The title “50 Kilos” was the finished weight of the work.  The process of making the work was overwhelming – my studio floor became an ice rink of paint and I almost fell into the work a number of times.

How has your unique style evolved over the years?

I’ve been painting for nearly four decades, drawn to the tactile nature of paint and the limitless possibilities of its manipulation.  My work has become a blend of process and concept, a tangible exploration of ideas and questions.

What art do you like on a personal level, and what artworks inspire you?

I love going to the Sainsbury’s Wing of the National Gallery, in particular the work of Giovanni Bellini, Raphael and Piero della Francesca.  Some contemporary favourites are Bram Bogart, Jannis Kounellis, Howard Arkley, Antoni Tapies and Anthony Cragg.  On a daily level, Instagram is a constant source of information, highlighting the work of my contemporaries.

Would you say that people’s tastes in art have changed over the years?

I think people in general have become far more visually aware and braver about what they like, as far as art is concerned.  However, with the recent pandemic and the global uncertainties, there seems to be a shift back to work that is perhaps more consoling – figuration seems to be having a resurgence.

If someone was looking to commission an artwork from you, what would you advise that they need to consider?

When working on a commission, I encourage clients to consider the space where the painting will hang.  Generally, a client will cite an example of my work that can be used as a starting point.  I will ask them to consider the scale of the work they require and the hopes that they have for that work.  I aim to create work that sits somewhere within the criteria that has been given me by the client, that complements their existing collection, while also offering something unique.  A commission is a bespoke work determined by someone other than myself, and a place of trust and understanding has to be established.

You were an artist in residence at the Inshriach Bothy in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland – as such an incredible, wild and beautiful place to work, what was that like?

My residency in the Cairngorms was a one-off experience and a dream come true.  I lived in an isolated bothy in the middle of a forest for ten days, with no electricity and an outdoor shower.  The isolation and natural beauty of this wild place inspired me to make many drawings, but perhaps the most engaging work that I made during this period was almost unintentional.  After my daily walk through the woods, upon my return to the bothy I would stamp the mud from the treads in my boots into a corner.  By the end of my time there, I had created quite a pile of negative mud boot prints, each different according to the weather and terrain I walked across that day.  Upon leaving the bothy, I collected these mud imprints, and they formed a tangible diary of my time there.

Finally, the one question we ask everyone!  What is your favourite luxury?

Twenty-year-old malt whisky!

To find out more about Richard’s work, go to www.richardelliott.london, or see his Instagram page here.