BBC Radio presenter Richard Lewis shows his art to the world
Posted on: 11 Nov 2018"When I'm not painting I'm writing, when I'm not writing I'm broadcasting and when I'm not broadcasting I'm painting."
The BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset radio presenter, television producer and scriptwriter Richard Lewis has launched a new website showcasing his striking and affordable original art.
When not behind the microphone you’ll find this man of many talents behind the easel creating striking works of art.
Richard Lewis, 60, predominantly works in oils, creating atmospheric beach scenes, landscapes and portraits. He is always happy to take on commissions.
In his 20-year TV career as a producer he discovered impressionist Jon Culshaw worked with Bake-Off star Sandi Toksvig, chat show king Michael Parkinson, Noel Edmonds and dozens of others. Though he writes for television and films and is a sought-after radio broadcaster, Richard has always found art a precious form of escapism and relaxation.
“I love to paint, I can get lost in a painting for hours” Richard admits. “I always have a pen or a pencil in my hand. Drawing led to watercolours and then acrylics, but because I had no formal training I was scared of oil paint. Then one day I was talking to Jack Russell, the artist and former England wicket keeper, who said I should just go for it. He was right – and now I rarely paint in anything but oils.”
Richard’s home is full of his captivating art work, though it took a commission from a family friend for him to consider taking it up professionally.
“From that, a number of people commissioned me to do work for them and I sold more and more. That led me to thinking about doing this commercially – there’s only so much space on my walls after all!”
Richard’s work covers landscapes, portraits and more abstract work but many of his current paintings are seascapes and beach scenes.
“There’s something about the shore; I’m fascinated by skies and water, ship wrecks, figures and dogs picking their way through sand and pebbles. I don’t know if it’s because we’re an island nation but people seem drawn to paintings of the coast”.
“I don’t think you can beat a piece of original art,” says Richard. “A lot of galleries will charge you a fortune for a framed print that hundreds of other people have on their walls, too. Basically, they’re charging you for a nice frame. What I try to do is affordable, original art.”
While painting has always been a passion, it was another gift which first enticed Richard away from home and into the world of entertainment and broadcasting. “I always wanted to entertain,” laughs Richard. “I had been doing stand-up routines around clubs since I was 14. I would do my acts and my impersonations, and they’d give me money. I thought ‘Wow, this is alright – this seems like a career I could do’.”
Today, Richard continues to write for television and broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset but his love of putting oil on canvas competes for his time.
Offering original art at affordable prices, Richard’s work can be found on his new website, www.amberleyart.com.
Article by:
Max is a filmmaker and photographer from Germany and is in Bristol for a few weeks. He owns a small video production company in Luebeck, a city near Hamburg. He loves everything about films, watching and making them. When he is not in the cinema or shooting video, he likes to listen to music or to spend the night in bars and clubs and meet interesting people.
