Richard Kitson
Richard Kitson is a portrait and landscape artist based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Kitson’s figurative works often depict family members and friends in addition to his commissioned works whilst his landscape paintings are inspired by his local area around Yorkshire and the Peak District. Kitson’s work is underpinned by a training in academic drawing and life drawing. Kitson employs an expressive, impasto painting style in his paintings and is influenced by artists such as Rembrandt, Lucian Freud, John Constable and JMW Turner.
In 2018 Kitson participated in Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year where he painted Paralympic athlete Kadeena Cox MBE at the Wallace Collection in London. 2018 also saw the opening of Kitson's first solo exhibition at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley. Kitson’s first international solo exhibition took place during the Spring of 2019 at the Labor Im Chor gallery, part of the Museum and Galerie im Prediger in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. In 2020 Kitson’s double portrait ‘Two Young Painters’ was selected for display in the annual Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition at Mall Galleries, London which was closely followed by works selected for ‘Figurative Art Now’, also at Mall Galleries. In 2022 Kitson was commissioned to paint a portrait Paul Elmhirst, Chair of Trustees at The Cooper Gallery since 1971 as a new acquisition for their permanent collection.
In addition to his artistic practice, Kitson is a qualified teacher and taught in post 16 formal education from 2012-2021. After his appearance on Portrait Artist of the Year, Kitson began to receive requests to deliver demonstrations and workshops in arts venues around Yorkshire. Growing demand for his demos/workshops led to Kitson becoming a full-time artist/tutor from September 2021 and he now delivers demonstrations and workshops around the UK.
As well as subject or medium specific demonstrations and workshops, Richard also offers themed ones such as:
- Chiaroscuro (Caravaggio/Rembrandt) portraiture
- Van Gogh or Monet landscape painting
- Still life painting in the style of Van Gogh, Cezanne or Euan Uglow
Offers: Demonstrations, Workshops, Appraisals/Critiques, Mini workshops, Talks, Online demonstrations
Media: Oil Paint, Dry Media (Pencil, Charcoal)
Subjects: Landscape, Portraiture, Life Drawing
Talks: Various art history topics (art lecturer in further education). 2018: Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year contestant, 2020: Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition. Regular contributor to The Artist magazine, so do enquire.
Will travel to: Up to 100 miles from Yorkshire, plus would consider Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Would also travel further afield such as the Lake District, London, South East, West Country and Scotland, with travel expenses covered.
Email: info@richardkitson.co.uk
Phone: 07939 657631
