About me


I am a multi-disciplinary Brightlingsea based artist known for my narrative figure paintings that nestle between abstraction and reality…

I invite you to take a peek into my world, to notice a moment captured in time and use your imagination to connect with the image and the narrative. Themes in my work include identity, time and place and what it is that makes us who we are. Whilst my paintings may appear naive and childlike they provide an opportunity to slow down and take stock and reconnect.

I am currently in my second year of studying at Colchester School of Art to complete a Fine Art degree.

My work has twice appeared at the SWA exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, I was shortlisted for the Sir John Hurt Art Prize in 2021 and 2020 I won the Best in Show award for the Gibberd Gallery Open Exhibition 2020.

I have been painting since 2010 and am now a full-time professional artist having slowly transitioned from running my own market research business for over thirty years. I moved to Brightlingsea in 2020, when I’m not here I can usually be found in Suffolk. My work is in several private collections around the world and has twice been selected for the prestigious Society of Women Artists Annual exhibition.

Interview with The Perspective Project

I was honoured to be interviewed by Rachel of The Perspective Project; an organisation that tackles mental health stigma through art and creativity.

My conversation tells you more about my belief in the importance of good mental health and why it supports and informs my art practice. You can listen to my interview here: LISTEN NOW

Awards

In 2020 I was awarded Best in Show at the Gibberd Gallery’s annual Open Exhibition for ‘Just the Three of Us’.

prize winning painting just the three of us woman and two dogs by Chrissie Richards

‘Just the three of us’ mixed media on board 20 x 20cm 2020

I was delighted and very surprised to win Best in Show. Here I am clutching my golden envelope!

Chrissie Richards artist with her prize for for Gibberd Gallery 2020 open prize

Commissions

I am also available to accept commissions, please get in touch if you would like to discuss a specific project. 

A portrait commission of the beautiful Megan, painted in 2021.

An abstract painting commissioned by the Davies family in 2017.

artist Chrissie Richards in studio with her dogs working on a commission painting
Luna and Ruff look on as I finish this commission piece in 2017 for the Davies family

Training

I am currently undertaking a Fine Art degree, previously I have taken courses with Anthony Connolly, Lupe Cunha and Nicola Slattery.  My work has continued to develop and evolve. In 2018 I have completed an intensive three month course called the Creative Visionary Programme with Nicholas Wilton of ART2LIFE. In 2021 I completed the Learning to See course with Gabriel Lipper focusing on combining realism and abstract together in a painting.

What my work is about

My work is about people and their connections to time, place and others. I am interested in how our past, present and future are intertwined, how all of our experiences are stitched together to make us who we are. I believe that the majority of people are fundamentally good and try to create work that invokes a sense of hope and joy.

How I work

black and white photograph of man and woman

Recently I have been thinking a lot about my childhood, I have been looking at old family photographs and media from the 60s, this provides a rich seam to explore. I’m not interested in copying the photographs, rather using them as a springboard of inspiration and together with my thoughts, memories and imagination I transfer them all into a new unique piece of work.

I usually work on a few pieces of work at a time, working on multiple pieces together enables each piece to inform the others, rather like bringing up children together!

Why I do it

Making art is my response to the life I live, it is how I communicate my experiences and feelings, I often find it easier to make something rather than talk about things. Making art is a way to try to find out more about my identity and how I fit into the world and understanding other people around me.

Exhibitions:

2022

Ardleigh Open Studios

Ardleigh Studios, Ardleigh, Essex

Waterside Artists Summer Exhibition

Brightlingsea Museum, Brightlingsea

Colchester Art Society Summer Exhibition

Online

The Art of Grieving

Town Hall, St Peter’s Street, St Albans

Exploring Memories – 3 Approaches

The Sail Loft, Manningtree, Essex

Art at Ink

Art Exhibition at the Ink Festival, Halesworth

2021

Ardleigh Open Studios

Ardleigh, Essex

Sir John Hurt Art Prize shortlisted

Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk

2020

Sir John Hurt Art Prize shortlisted

Holt Festival, Holt, Norfolk

Harlow Open 20 x 20 – winner Best in show 

The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow

Female Focus 

Gatehouse Arts, Harlow

2019

Present Arts – 7 November – 22 December

Parndon Mill, Harlow

Heart Research UK Secret Auction

Leeds and online

Cambridge Open Art – 11-13 October

Swavesey, Cambridge

Transference – 16 August – 4 September

Halesworth Gallery, Halesworth, Suffolk

Nude or Fully Clothed

Nude Tin Can Gallery, St Albans

Talented Art Fair 

Brick Lane, London

2018

Harlow Open 2018

The Gibberd Gallery, Harlow

Society of Women Artists 2018 Exhibition

Mall Galleries, London

2018 Art2Life Academy Exhibition

Online

Heart Research UK Secret Auction

London and online

2017

Present Arts

Parndon Mill, Harlow

Contemporary Colour

Benham Gallery, Cuckoo Farm, Colchester

Society of Women Artists 2017 Exhibition

Mall Galleries, London