Richard Cross was born in Derby, and studied at Liverpool College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools, London (1981-84) He has exhibited in the BP Portrait Award, Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Discerning Eye, Royal Overseas League, Laing Art Competition, Northern Young Contemporaries, and in exhibitions at Christies and the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Richard's work addresses’ universal experiences such as moving to a new town, becoming a father and reaching the age of fifty. As such it is work that is both personal and easy to relate to.

" When someone looks at a painting of mine I want them to be aware they are looking at paint and not a photographic illusion. When you paint a picture you are literally constructing something out of paint, and one of my primary aims is to simply make something that is interesting and exciting as paint and colour, and to fully exploit the physical qualities of paint. The textures that build up in my paintings are a by-product of working and reworking the picture surface. I often rework my paintings many times before I’m satisfied with them and consider them to be finished."

Education : 
Royal Academy Schools, London (1981-84) PG Dip RAS
Liverpool Polytechnic (1977-80) Fine Art BA (Hons) 
Derby College of Art (1976-77) Art Foundation Course

Exhibitions : 
2017 - Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
2015 - Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
2014 - Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2013 - Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
2012 - Streets Places Journeys, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
2012 - Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
2012 - Northern Art Group, Blackpool University Centre Gallery
2011/12 - Derby City Open, Derby Museum and Art Gallery
2011 - Representations of Landscape (with Julia Swarbrick), Rossendale Museum
2010/11- BP Portrait Award Tour, Usher Art Gallery Lincoln, and Aberdeen Art Gallery
2010 - BP Portrait Award Exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London
2010 - One Person Show, Steward's Gallery Clitheroe Castle
2009 - Ribble Valley Open, Steward's Gallery Clitheroe Castle - First Prize Winner
2009 - One Person Show, BBC Radio Lancashire, Blackburn
2007 - 'Making Connections' Kunstammlung Neubrandenburg, Germany
2006 - 'Making Connections' Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
2000/03/05/06/07/08 - Derby City Open, Derby Museum and Art Gallery
1998 - One Person Show, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool
1998 - RAS Alumni Exhibition, Royal Academy Schools, London
1998 - Laing Art Competition, Salford Art Gallery
1988/89/90/91/92 - Derby City Open, Derby Museum and Art Gallery
1986 - John Player Portrait Award Exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London
1985/86/90/91 - Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
1984 - Spirit of London, Royal Festival Hall, London
1984 - Royal Overseas League Art Exhibition, Overseas House, London
1984 - Pick of New Graduate Art, Christies, London
1981 - Northern Young Contemporaries, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
1980 - National Open Art Exhibition, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield

Publications : 
500 Portraits, NPG Publications London, 2011
Artists and Illustrators magazine, October 2007
Who's Who in Art (35th and subsequent Editions), Charles Baile de Laperriere, 2006
An Illustrated Who's Who of Artists in Derbyshire, John Fineron 2004

Awards
2015 Discerning Eye Purchase Prize
2015 Runner-up Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary
2013 Runner-up Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary
2010 Short-listed for Travel Award, BP Portrait Award Exhibition
2009 First Prize, Ribble Valley Open, Steward's Gallery Clitheroe Castle
1983 Landseer Scholarship, Royal Academy Schools
1981-84 Leverhulme Scholarship, Royal Academy Schools
1981-84 Vandeleur Scholarship, Royal Academy Schools

These are very small paintings done outdoors quickly in one session using a Pochade Box which holds a little panel to work on in the lid of the box. I enjoy the contrast between the immediacy of working on these and the rest of my pictures which are built up in layers more slowly in the studio