Artist Statement

‘My work primarily investigates (but is not confined to) portraiture and the human figure, in particular paintings of my wife, family, friends and self-portraits. I paint naturalistic portraits without idealisation so that when you encounter one of them, it is as if you have wandered into a space where that person just happens to be. As much as possible I work from direct observation as the physical presence of a sitter offers me the best chance of conveying their individual nature. At its core, my practice is an ongoing visual autobiography and a view of my life as an artist living and working in the north of England.’

Richard Kitson is a figurative artist based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Kitson’s work has been featured in selected group exhibitions including the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize, Figurative Art Now and the Cork Street Open. Kitson has exhibited in the UK and internationally and was a participant in Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2018. His work hangs in various public and private collections.