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Artist Spotlight – Alice Rich

Artist Spotlight – Alice Rich

Artist Spotlight – Alice Rich

Artist Spotlight – Alice Rich

Artist Spotlight – Alice Rich

Artist Spotlight - Alice Rich
Many thanks to Alice Rich for being the first artist to step into our Artist Spotlight. It’s a pleasure to begin this series with Alice, and we appreciate her generosity in sharing her story and creative practice with our community.
Below you will find a gallery of Alice’s work, a Q&A, plus more options to explore Alice’s work.

What’s the first thing you ever remember creating?

I was very experimental when I first started my creative practice. Photography was my outlet then and I had established an alternative photographic Greeting Card company as an outlet for my images.   Then I started hand-tinting black & white photographs with oils.  I then re-photographed some of them and used colour photos as well and printed them on clear film. These I combined with painted grounds and the imagery blended together. They were photo montages and very unique as the painting was visible through the transparent photo image. It was similar to a double exposure, but engaging realistic imagery with abstract grounds giving me lots of freedom to manipulate the final piece.

If you could collaborate with any artist (alive or not), who would it be?

Presently, I am having a wonderful time collaborating with Painters 5 on Gabriola Island. We are engaged in a ‘Paint-In’ for a week and enjoying working together sharing thoughts and working toward our August long weekend show.  I’ve also been very lucky to paint in Tuscany and France with very engaging groups.  The sharing of tips, ideas, and painting with different materials is very exciting.
Is there a skill or subject you’re currently exploring?
The subject that continually prays on my mind is urban development. The outcome is the segmenting and interruption of our landscape and the obscuring of natural vistas, the sunlight, and overpowering the liveability of our cities and neighbourhoods. I think the impact is being overlooked as the quality of lifestyle is compartmentalized and broken up, causing isolation.  My paintings reflect that with the symbolism of a hard edge building form set into the semi-abstract landscape while it also reflects the surrounding environment. The outcome is an abstract landscape with angst and tension intentionally created, but in what I hope is a beautiful way.  I am committed to this series and I will see how far I take it or it takes me.
Is there a piece of advice you would like to pass on to other artists?
Oh yes, I love giving advice. Live your artist’s dream, focus, and form a clear vision of what you want to accomplish in your career.  See it, drink it into your bones and your soul. We never can plan how the miracle will happen but if you stay focused on your next step or aspiration, it will happen. It is a bit woo woo, I know, but see your dream, let it go and send it into the universe for manifestation.  You’ve got this !
Alice Rich: The Arts on Gabriola webpage
Alice Rich: Personal website

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