Born in Essex in 1961, Chrissie Richards returned to her home county in 2020 after running a successful market research agency for over 30 years. Rekindling her lifelong love of art, she went on to study Fine Art at Colchester School of Art, graduating in 2024 with First Class Honours.
Her work has been recognised in several exhibitions and awards, including Best in Show at the Harlow Open (2020) and shortlisted for the Helen Herbert Portrait Award in 2026, and the John Hurt Art Prize in 2020 and 2021. Chrissie has also exhibited a number of times at The Mall Galleries in London as part of the Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition.
Now based in Brightlingsea, she spends her time between the Essex coast and Suffolk, enjoying a quieter pace of life and focusing on creating and exhibiting across East Anglia. Alongside her own practice, Chrissie is passionate about coaching adults in art, encouraging them to enjoy the creative process rather than focus solely on the outcome.
She is currently Artist in Residence at Brightlingsea Lido and serves on the Committee of Colchester Art Society.
Awards won or shortlisted
2026 Helen Herbert Portrait Award – shortlisted
2024 Freelands Painting Prize – shortlisted
2020 Harlow Open 2020 – winner Best in show – The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow
2020 Sir John Hurt Art Prize – shortlisted – Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk
2021 Sir John Hurt Art Prize – shortlisted – Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – The Maker’s Gallery Holt
2024 – The Art Hut Brightlingsea – Through the Window
Group Exhibitions
2026
The Barns, Holt – Holt Art Projects – Art Awards Summer Exhibition
Brightlingsea Museum – The Friday Art Group
Art Hut Brightlingsea – Cassie Downes & Chrissie Richards
Beecroft Art Gallery – Colchester Art Society at 80
The Fisherman’s Hut Dunwich – Chrissie Richards & Sue Eyre
2025
The Minories Colchester – Colchester Art Society Winter Exhibition
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Winter Exhibition
Brightlingsea Library – A collection of collages
Naze Tower – Autumn Exhibition
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Summer Exhibition
The Art Hut Brightlingsea – Cassie Downes & Chrissie Richards
The Minories Colchester – Chrissie Richards & Christine Gallant Pop-up
Patch Gallery Colchester – Chrissie Richards & Christine Gallant
2024
Bermondsey Project Space – From ArtCan With Love
The Minories Colchester – Summer Exhibition
The Minories Colchester – Colchester Art Society Winter Exhibition
University Centre Colchester – Six Degrees of Something
The Art Hut Brightlingsea – Summer pop-up exhibition
Brightlingsea Library – The Motley Crew Collages
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Summer Exhibition
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Winter Exhibition
2023
The Minories, Colchester – Colchester School of Art Winter Show
Henry Moore Foundation – Conversation to Creation
Colchester Art Society – Summer Show
The Art Hut Brightlingsea – Summer pop-up exhibition
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Summer Exhibition
Jaywick Martello Tower – Coastal Open 2023
2022
Colchester School of Art – Colchester – Festive Sculpture Trail
Brightlingsea Museum – Waterside Artists Summer Exhibition
Nottage Institue Wivenhoe – Colin Smith and Friends
Colchester Art Society – Summer Exhibition
St Albans Museum – The Art of Grieving
The Cut Gallery Halesworth – Art @ Ink
2021
Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk – John Hurt Art Prize – shortlisted
2020
Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk – John Hurt Art Prize – shortlisted
The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow Open 2020 – winner Best in show
Gatehouse Arts, Harlow – Female Focus
2019
Parndon Mill, Harlow – Present Arts
Heart Research UK, Leeds and online – Secret Auction
Cambridge – Open Art 2019
Halesworth Gallery, Halesworth, Suffolk – Transference
Nude Tin Can Gallery, St Albans – Nude or Fully Clothed
Brick Lane, London – Talented Art Fair
2018
The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow – Harlow Open 2018
Mall Galleries, London – Society of Women Artists 2018
Art2Life Academy Exhibition – 2018 Open Exhibition
Heart Research UK Secret Auction – London and online
2017
Parndon Mill, Harlow – Present Arts
Benham Gallery, Cuckoo Farm, Colchester – Colour
Mall Galleries, London – Society of Women Artists 2017 Annual Exhibition
2021 and 2020 Sir John Hurt Art Prize – shortlisted – Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk
2020 Harlow Open 2020 – winner Best in show – The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow
Residencies
2023,2024,2025 – Brightlingsea Lido – Artist in Residence
Grants
2024 – Essex County Council Arts & Cultural Fund
Education
2024 1st Class BA Fine Art Colchester School of Art
