Expressive Landscape Painting

Richard K Blades is a professional Artist and tutor and can often be found painting in the Norfolk countryside, chasing the Indian yellows and fire reds of an Autumn sunset or creating textured impressions of the North Sea Coast, as the colours shift from aquamarine to muted grey across the seasons.

Born and raised in East Anglia, he travelled widely before settling in West Norfolk. His paintings have an impressionist quality, an elusiveness that walks the line between representation and abstraction. Their textured surfaces hold, within them, the history of their making, celebrating the physicality of oil paint, which helps give the work a sense of presence and vibrancy.

He says of his work
“I am primarily an expressive landscape painter working in the English Romantic tradition. I would describe my work as impressionistic, although I am also influenced by Tonalism, Abstract Expressionism and the St Ives school. For me, the landscape is something that can be felt, not only seen. The atmosphere is an important part of this and it is this atmosphere that I choose to place above detail.”

Painting Classes

Richard currently runs ‘Expressive Landscape’ painting classes in Grimston Village Hall, Pott Row. Taking place on a Thursday and Friday morning, the classes are for both beginners and those with a little more practice. The main aim of them is to help artists work towards an interpretation of the landscape that is both loose and free, developing style through experimentation and rethinking how we see and create.

A new approach

“I meet many painters who tell me about their frustration of getting caught up in detail, overworking things and never feeling satisfied. This usually happens because they are working from photographs. I used to be the same and I experienced many frustrating years of painting. It is very hard to break out of this habit and sometimes it needs a whole new approach. In the classes we celebrate paint for its unique properties, exploring its possibilities and detaching ourselves from the notion that a photograph is a standard to which we must compare our work.”

Richard’s approach is always on the individual journey, regardless of previous experience.

“Each of us has a creative path to follow and I’m a firm believer in developing an individual style through creativity. So, wherever you are on your journey, I will meet you there and help you navigate your way forward.”

Working in Oil and Gouache, we focus on techniques such as palette knife painting, colour mixing, composition, working from memory and intuition, plein air painting, loosening up, mark-making.

Each class costs £10 but members of W.N.A.A pay £7.50

You can see Richard’s work and find out more about his classes on his website
www.richardkbladesartist.co.uk

Follow him on Instagram @richard.k.blades_art