Richard Dack RSMA RWA

Richard grew up in Lowestoft when it was a thriving port and developed a passion for painting in his teens, especially after seeing the work of Edward Seago at an exhibition in the town. The harbour, fish market and shipyards offered a rich vein of subject matter and he has remained essentially a marine artist ever since.

Four years at Camberwell, training in painting and printmaking, honed his observational skills and immersed him in the disciplines of painting, under tutors that included Michael Salaman and Euan Uglow. In his first year, compulsory Saturday morning sessions at the National Gallery, making drawings from the collection, generated a lasting appreciation of the debt owed by present artists to those of the past.

Following Camberwell, Richard spent a number of years teaching in Devon, before building his first studio and taking the plunge into full-time painting. He worked extensively around the coastline and harbours of the South West. The proximity of Dartmoor satisfied his love of the outdoor life, especially remote locations and inspired a large body of landscape works. These were augmented by time spent in the mountains of Scotland, Wales and Europe, plus some memorable trips to Iceland, Asia and Africa. Alongside this he developed an interest in traditional working boats, spending time in boatyards and developing an appreciation of the construction and restoration of wooden boats. Insights gained there have enhanced his appreciation of boats' lines and his ability to represent them.

During his time in Devon he was a winner of the Aerial Open and was elected to membership of The Royal West of England Academy and The Royal Society of Marine Artists, being fortunate to have gained four awards associated with the Annual Exhibition of the RSMA. He also served a term as Secretary to that Society and is currently serving a second term on its Council.

Having always felt some unease among the enclosing diagonals of the Devon landscape, he relocated to his native East Anglia. Here, he renewed his acquaintance with big skies, the delicate shifting light, the austerity of its eroding coastline and an environment that suited his preference for a horizontal/vertical axis to his work.

He also met a new circle of artist friends in The East Anglian Group of Marine Artists and after becoming a member, served as its Chairman for five years and remains an actively involved member.

Whereas, in Devon he could enjoy the open spaces of Dartmoor, now, on the East Coast he can enjoy sailing in traditional working boats on the North Sea and be among the first to see the light of a new day.