Ric has created many beautiful paintings of Blean woods over the years, highlighting the stunning natural wonders on our doorstep. He hopes to bring awareness to this area’s unique energy, important heritage and the need for protection.
Blean Woods Nature Reserve is an ancient, semi-natural woodland recognised as site of international importance for wildlife, situated to the north of Canterbury. Not only has he produced cards of Blean Woods, but also of the Whitstable and Canterbury region.
Below are some of Ric’s original woodland paintings.
Ric works in a modern classical way and creates atmospheric, light-filled land and seascapes. The sublime light of his paintings is reminiscent off a style called Luminism. He takes part every year in theEast Kent Artists’ Open Houses, which was on this year from12th/13th, 19th/20th and 26th/27th October 2024.
His most recent exhibition was at the Fishslab Gallery Whitstable in August 2024 (see images below). If you have missed this show you can visit Ric in his studio at this year’s East Kent Open Houses, which runs from 12th/13th, 19th/20th, 26th/27th October 2024Artists’ Open Houses | (ekoh.org.uk).
On show were 25 original oil on canvas paintings, as well as a range of Gouache (Watercolour) studies and many cards of Whitstable, Canterbury and surrounding areas.
It’s now 11 years that Ric W. Horner has lived in the late Dan Sherrin’s quirky cottage on The Saxon Shore Way in Whitstable, a long-distance footpath in England, which starts at Gravesend, Kent, and traces the coast of South-East England for 163 miles in total. He is one in a long line of artists , writers and novelists that made the town their home, for reasons such as the gorgeous light and stunning sunsets.
Eccentric painter Dan Sherrin (1869 – 1940) was an artist that could not be missed about the town, as he insisted on wearing the most outrageously chequer plus-fours and his love of beer was legendary.
Dan was also a famous self-publicist of the most humorous kind, a practical joker who not only poked fun at those in authority – he even built his own airplane and created a spoof fire brigade!
One of Dan’s paintings still hangs in Buckingham Palace, as he was once commissioned by King George V. Furthermore. An elderly neighbour who lived nearby in Preston Parade Seasalter, has told Ric that he recalls seeing Winston Churchill plus entourage on the little foot bridge on Preston Parade, viewing the newly installed gun battery, which was right in front of the house in about 1943.
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Now working from Dan Sherrin’s space, Ric says: “My paintings have much to do with the changing energy of weather; encompassing all sorts of environmental conditions, which can range massively from attractive, peaceful and scenic to threatening and dangerous.”
“Since moving into the late artist Dan Sherrin’s old cottage, I have set up my studio at the front of the house, which overlooks the sea. This has changed my working practice profoundly, as I now have a myriad of subject matter in front of me and I am less dependent on notes and colour sketches. I can now work directly on canvas from my subject and study in detail various sea states and “light events” which may have previously evaded me. It’s become possible to study storms in greater detail and track showers and their influence on the sea in some degree of comfort. Sadly, despite the house’s prominence and history, time and gravity has taken its toll, leaving it bereft of level floors, so when I first moved in, the horizon appeared to lean when looking out!”
The famous painter J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) described the sunsets along the North Kent coast as some of the best in the world and just like Turner, Ric continues to explore the unique light conditions found in this area.
Ric has created many atmospheric sunset paintings of Canterbury Cathedral over the years and is now offering 9 different designs as framed prints and high-quality greeting cards. At present, there are no original oil paintings of Canterbury available, but feel free to get in touch if you are interested in a commission.
Canterbury Summer Evening, framed print, 61 x 48, but also 36 x 29cm
To order all Canterbury themed cards prints and cards, click on the image below:
They are printed on 324gsm textured matt paper and come in three different formats: 22 x 15cm (A5), 15 x 15cm (square) and 21 x 9.90cm (DL long), each including a white envelope and clear, protective, bio-degradable bag.
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Please note that we only have a few of these framed prints in the studio at the moment, so you might need to wait until we have re-stocked them – if some of them have sold out. Many thanks.
Canterbury Cathedral after Rain, framed print, 37 x 37cm
Canterbury is a cathedral city in the southeast of England, situated in the county of Kent. It was a pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages that was founded in 597 A.D by St Augustine. Primarily a unique place of Christian community and worship, is also the headquarters of the Church of England and Anglican Communion, a major pilgrimage destination, a masterpiece of art and architecture, and one of the UK’s most-visited historic sites.
Shower Clouds over Canterbury, framed print, 35 x 28cm
A truly romantic city, the cathedral incorporates Gothic and Romanesque elements in its stone carvings and stained-glass windows. The rest of the whole town has ancient walls, originally built by the Romans that encircle its medieval centre with cobbled streets and timber-framed houses.
The square painting above is called ‘Canterbury Cathedral at Sunset‘. The cards are 15 x 15cm and the print is 37 x 37cm. All of his prints are locally manufactured by Blean Picture Framing.
In just under 1 hour’s train journey from London, Canterbury is one of the most popular tourist and holiday destinations in the world. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cathedral sits alongside the Giza Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and Chichen-Itza as a must-visit location of outstanding universal value to humanity.
Canterbury Cathedral August Evening, framed print, 38 x 25cm
Home to three universities, Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), University for the Creative Arts (UCA) and The University of Kent, the city is also a melting pot for creativity with vibrant nightlife and a packed calendar of cultural events for every age and every community all year round. So when in town, you can enjoy the annual Canterbury Arts Festival, or spend a day out and breath in fresh sea air in the lovely coastal town of Whitstable.
Approaching Storm, Canterbury (framed print) 35 x 28cm
Ric’s framed prints are all hand-signed and professionally produced on high-quality Hahnemühle Albrecht Dürer artist paper. They come in four different sizes:
Canterbury Cathedral (evening light), mounted print, 31 x 18cm
Ric also exhibits every year at the East-Kent-Artists-Open-Houses . Now in its 25th year, the EKOH Fringe Festival has gone from strength to strength with more participating artists than ever. This year they present over 250 artists across 80 houses and studios. Locations include Deal, Faversham, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Canterbury and Whitstable.
If you want to visit Ric in one of his Open House events you can find out more about it via the link: ekoh.org.uk/whitstable . A selection of his cards is also available from Canterbury Tourist Information office in The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge at 18 High St, Canterbury CT1 2RA
Cathedral, Colour Sketch, mounted print, 33 x 25cm
All of Ric’s prints will be added to his shop page, but as we are still at the early stage of this project, this might still take a little while. At the moment his Canterbury cards are available directly from his studio, George’s Mini Market in Whitstable High Street and The Horsebridge on Whitstable beach.
If you are a retailer in the Kentish region, have a look at our image range below and get in touch if you are interested in stocking any of these designs. You can also email us at: enquiries@richorner.com for an order form and a catalogue.
Ric works in a modern classical way and creates atmospheric, light-filled land and seascapes. The sublime light of his paintings is reminiscent off a style called Luminism. He takes part every year in theEast Kent Artists’ Open Houses,
Ric has exhibited his extraordinarily atmospheric British land & seascapes last August in Harbour Street, Whitstable. For interest in any of the remaining pieces visit the page Available Paintings, or contact him at tel. 07835294317/ enquiries@richorner.com.
For centuries, Margate has drawn in visitors with its golden sandy bay and shallow tidal pool. As one of England’s first grand seaside resorts, the town continues to live up to its reputation as the go-to for summer holidays.
Ric grew up in this area and has painted the stunning views over Margate Sands many times. He has also painted the utterly spectacular Ramsgate Harbour with its charming old town coastal architecture, blend of colourful history, rich cultural traditions, and breath-taking coast line.
Margate has recently grown to be quite an artistic hub for Kent. Ever since the opening of the Turner Contemporary in 2011, it has grown increasingly trendy and attracted a rise of down-from-Londoners moving to the area. The Old Town is an excellent place to start your adventure as it is often buzzing with daily activities of locals and tourists alike. There are a variety of art galleries, who are celebrating Margate’s connection with the painter J. M. W. Turner.
J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) described the famous sunsets along the North Kent coast as some of the best sunsets in the world and just like he did, Ric now continues this line and explores the unique light and atmospheres found in this area.
The Turner Contemporary gallery has exhibited the works of countless international artists, including Turner Prize nominees and winners Antony Gormley, Jeremy Deller, Tracey Emin, Yinka Shonibare, Paula Rego and Grayson Perry.
Ric is currently looking to sell his greeting cards and prints in the wider Kentish area. If you are a retailer and interested in stocking any of these cards, get in touch via enquiries@richorner.com, or order a pack of 9 cards directly from his shop:
Award winning artist Ric W. Horner is one of the county’s leading landscape painters whose professional career spans more than 30 years. His work focuses on the elemental qualities of open space, the energy of weather and the expressive qualities of light. https://ekoh.org.uk/whitstable
He has opened his studio to the public on various occasions over the past 11 years to connect with clients and collectors in a more personal way. For visits outside this open days contact him on Tel: 07835294317, or: enquiries@richorner.com
“…His mastery of sky, light and colour is breath taking!”
“Wow! My kind of art. Absolutely stunning. Love it!! Xx“
“After seeing his work for the first time it completely changed the way I saw colour in nature, but especially the sky and dark clouds. This incredible oil on canvas captures a moment where the beautiful light and detail pulls you in, so you too are involved and immortalised in the moment.”
“Ric Horner is second to none when it comes to capturing light on the landscape.” – “Your art brings tears to my eyes! – Outstanding! – Amazing – Stunning – Incredible! – Magnificent – Brilliant – Spectacular – Breath-taking – Superb – Magical – Impressive – Wonderful – Uplifting – Really Moving – Poetic, beautiful, bold and absolutely marvellous! – I love your work!”
After graduating from Exeter College of Art in 1989, Ric Horner spent the first two years of his career living and working on Dartmoor in Devon, developing a unique and profound engagement with light, mood and distance. Consequently he produced two solo shows; one at Marloes gallery in London in 1989 and one at Exeter College in 1990.
Twenty-six years later, in 2016, Ric had the opportunity to put together yet another stunning exhibition on the subject, this time at Green Hill Arts in Moretonhampstead on Dartmoor National Park. Thanks to his longstanding friend, supporter and art collector, historian and internationally acclaimed author Dr Ian Mortimer, Ric was able to showcase a selection of over 40 original oil on canvas paintings in the town’s dedicated art space.
Dr Ian Mortimer said about this exhibition in his introduction:
“Ric Horner is one of the country’s leading landscape painters. I have no doubt that, in due course, he will be recognised as one of the most significant landscape artists of our time. Ric’s dedication is astounding; his integrity no less so. For me it has been a privilege and an honour to be so closely involved with this exhibition, and to have been able to buy a number of his paintings over the years. “
The “Dartmoor: Theatre of Light” exhibition (10th September to 29th October 2016) at Green Hill Arts in Moretonhampstead was very well received and sold well for the gallery.
This year, in spring 2024, Ric has returned to the subject and has produced 26 different greeting card designs taken from this solo exhibition, as well as from other Devonshire and Cornish coastal areas.
He is currently selling some of these cards via MAKE Southeast in Bovey Tracey and the Moretonhampstead Visitors’ Information Centre.
With over 150,000 visitors a year traveling to Dartmoor National Park, there can be no question that Dartmoor and it’s landscape has attracted artists, as well as tourists for centuries and helped fire their imagination. From the thick mists that suddenly appear and roll across the moor to the dark, bottomless mires and the craggy granite tors, each lends an air of mystery and magic, all ripe for associated legends and tales.
In this exhibition, you will find yourself on a road at night having just seen the first welcoming streetlight of the village: you will soon be home and warm. The sun has gone down behind Laughter Tor leaving a few drifting clouds and vapour trails in the deep blue sky: the seemingly eternal rocky outcrop is juxtaposed with the ephemeral vestiges of the day. But the most striking feature of these Dartmoor paintings is the light. Often the painting is not actually about the hill, rock or any other object in the distance; it is about the space between you and that object. It is a portrait of the light, a place where skies brood, threaten, delight, obscure with mist, groan with rain or brighten with a ray of optimism.”
“A stunning exhibition of the highest calibre!”
“Poetic, beautiful, bold and absolutely marvellous!”
“They are sublime. So magical and true to the atmosphere”
“Ric Horner’s work is superb – truly spectacular!”
“Breathtaking views and big skies! Fabulous.”
“Wow! “I absolutely love your work; such stunning paintings. The most amazing sky and little houses shining like jewels. What an uplifting exhibition!”
“We recently saw your Theatre of Light exhibition in Moretonhampstead and were both really moved by it. I just wanted to let you know how delighted I am to have been able to purchase one of your pictures. I bought your picture of Scorhill (image below). It’s always been a favourite place of mine on the Moor and your picture captures it so vividly.“
Ric in his studio in summer 2016 preparing for the show.
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Below: Friends Ian Mortimer and Ric Horner on field trip to ‘The Strangles’ in September 2014, where the idea of the ‘Theatre of Light ‘ exhibition was first perceived.
Ric is available for commissions. Please contact him at: enquiries@richorner.com, if you fancy your own favourite views painted.
He has recently (April 2024) completed a large scale panorama picturing the view as you walk across the pebble bed heaths around Joney’s Cross near Sidmouth, a high point that is looking towards the coast in East Devon.
Ric was represented by the White Wood Gallery in Ashburton, Dartmoor from November 2016 until February 2018. This arrangement has now come to an end.
Lovely feedback was received from previous buyers:
Dear Mr Horner, as a 50th Wedding Anniversary present to ourselves we purchased from the White Wood Gallery in Ashburton your oil painting entitled “Approaching Rain near Princetown, Dartmoor” (see above). My wife and I have known, loved and frequently visited Dartmoor since we were both young and we felt your painting captures the atmosphere of the Moor very well. We are generally more familiar with the eastern side of the Moor – i.e. Chagford/ Haytor/Hound Tor – and not so familiar with the area around Princetown. We wondered if you were able to give some more detail of the location from which your painting was taken?
Between 2015 – 2022 Ric was represented by Gallery Jessica Dove in lfracombe, North Devon. Sadly, this gallery is no longer open.
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This little gouache painting called ‘Yorkshire Landscape’ was purchased by Michael Gallagher – Head of Conservation at the MET – Museum of Modern Art in New York, while on display at Jessica’s gallery.
Ric has painted Salcombe several times between 2017 and 2018 and has recently produced a wide range of themed greeting cards that cover the region, as well as the South Devon coast.
Salcombe dusk
Salcombe is known for its outstanding views, rolling surrounding countryside, breath-taking natural beauty, sparkling turquoise waters and rugged cliffs. Once a major port for the fruit trade, it has now found fame as a safe haven for family holidays. The Salcombe Town Regatta takes place every year for one week in late July/early August.
The UK coastline is one of the most beautiful in Europe and has a huge number of sailing towns that range from rocky and scenic to stylish and dramatic. It’s destinations are known to, and admired by many visitors from around the world. You just can’t beat the rugged cliffs and lush green landscape of England, which is unofficially the ‘home of sailing’ and it has a long and glorious tradition of boat building and for rearing fine sailors. Salcombe on the South Devon coast is particular scenic with lovely spots for sailing traditional boats and classic yachts.
Some of the large, stormy paintings that were on show in Salcombe are still available. Please view the front page for more details. If you are a retailer and interested in stocking some of Ric’s cards, get in touch. Alternatively, you can view the link richorner.com/cards to see he whole range of cards on offer.
Salcombe Harbour, 26 x 26cm, oil on canvas – available
The Lewes Bonfire Night, or the #LewesBonfire Night Celebrations, is the biggest celebrated Fifth November Event in the world, and is held in the usually peaceful county town of Lewes, East Sussex, every year on 5th November, and the carnival or festival is known as either the Lewes Bonfire Night Celebrations, Lewes Bonfire Night or just simply the Fifth.
Lewes Bonfire, or Bonfire for short, describes a set of celebrations held in the town of Lewes, Sussex, England, that constitute the United Kingdom’s largest and most famous Bonfire Night festivities, with Lewes being called the bonfire capital of the world. The event not only marks Guy Fawkes Night – the date of the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 – but also commemorates the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs from the town burned at the stake for their faith during the Marian Persecutions.
As well as this, 25–30 societies from all around Sussex come to Lewes on the fifth to march the streets. This can mean up to 5,000 people taking part in the celebrations, and up to 80,000 spectators attending in the county market town.
Ric created a solo exhibition at the award winning ‘The Sportsman’ in Seasalter back in 2015 featuring the inspiring scenery of the Thames estuary. This famous Michelin star pub is located 2 miles out of Whitstable, on the North Kent coast and is popular with weekend visitors and many Londoners. It is nicely furbished with rolling exhibitions showcasing the work of local artists.
In the same year as the British Museum put on a blockbuster exhibition called ‘Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum’, 2013 (www.britishmuseum.org/pompeii-live) Ric also created a solo show on the subject of the ancient Roman city Pompeii, hoping to transport people back to AD 79 to discover how life was transformed in just 24 hours, when the two cities in the Bay of Naples, southern Italy, were buried by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Hoping to recreate how it looks now, and how it may well have looked during and after the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius he said:
“Pompeii is paradoxical, the city was once the site of a tremendous environmental catastrophe, but now all is serene and in a state of artful decay. Ironically, its preservation was due to its destruction -had it not been buried by the layers of ash, it would not be here today. In this particular series I tried to convey these unique qualities. When creating the work, I found that I had tapped into a similar colour palette to the one artists used when painting frescos in and around the city before the eruption. This may not have been a coincidence and may be linked to the strong Italian sunlight and its location near the Bay of Naples.”
Another exhibition of Pompeii that is currently running is at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This show is on until September 2023. (msichicago.org/pompeii)
The old Canterbury and Whitstable Railway was sometimes also colloquially referred to as the Crab and Winkle Line – which opened in 1830 was the cutting edge of technology at the time. The Industrial Revolution was happening and all the famous engineers of the time were connected to it.
The photograph he has worked from features a steam train – the Invicta – a locomotive which pulled passengers out of Whitstable on its way to Canterbury in 1952. Today the route is a designated footpath and cycle track.
Ric lived at 1-18 Reeves Yard Whitstable from 2002-13 and revamped this old industrial studio in 2012 in order to re-opened it to the public with a rolling exhibition of finished pieces..
Press Release for his latest Open Day on Saturday, 4th May 2013 …..“With the spring weather still evasive, Kent’s finest artist brings sunshine to your home all year round. Ric W. Horner is opening his gallery doors on Saturday, 4th May to present his own, personal colours of the rainbow. He captures moments and places like no camera can. The vividness and energy of his seascapes instantly transport the viewer to the coast on a glorious Summer day complete with breathtaking sunsets – with his passion and love evident in every single piece. “
It is now 10 years since the Horsebridge Centre (Home :: The Horsebridge) was build on the site of Johnny’s Arthouse. The new space is unlike any other building in Kent with it’s design based on an upturned boat and is soon stocking Ric’s greetings cards of Whitstable and surrounding.
Ric was one of the first artists to be represented at this gallery in 1999.
Salcombe Harbour, 26 x 26cm, oil on canvas – available
As well as this, 25–30 societies from all around Sussex come to Lewes on the fifth to march the streets. This can mean up to 5,000 people taking part in the celebrations, and up to 80,000 spectators attending in the county market town.
