Still life oil painting by Rebecca Ritchie

Hyperrealistic Still Life Paintings Of Everyday Life

I have always loved painting right from an early age. I have fond memories of my grandfather teaching me how to paint reflections on a vase in his garden shed studio.

Following art school, I went on to have a thoroughly enjoyable career in television set design, which I eventually gave up to become a full-time Mum in 2008. I always kept painting as a hobby and in 2015 with children at school, I set about embracing painting as a full-time career. In 2017 I was invited to exhibit with the prestigious Kent Painters Group which led to invitations to exhibit in various Kent Galleries and the Battersea Affordable art show. Through my tenacious pursuits, I have also been included with the Society Of Women Artists who have an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries London.

My prime passion is Still Life painting, working in oils and I am fascinated by light and dark. My Set Design background creeps in and I almost ‘Stage’ my subject using very bold contrasts between light and dark, to give solidity to the form. I become very excited when light and my subject interact to become something more visually pleasing. For example- the glow of light through a glass of beer which in its turn creates an amber glow on a chunk of bread beside the glass, grapes illuminating and popping out of their dark background, or my garden appearing in the reflection on a glass. I very carefully spend a lot of time setting up my compositions to create these little effects and experience a burst of delight when they occur. In choosing my subject and composition I aim to create a timeless, appealing, or nostalgic scene.

I am also fond of portraiture and take commissions. In 2018 my Portrait ‘Colin’ won the ‘Peoples Choice Award’ at Patchings Festival covered by the Artist and Lesuire painter magazines. ~ Rebecca Ritchie

still oil painting by realistic painting artist Rebecca Ritchie “A Noble Toast” Oil on canvas, 30 x 40cm.