Rik Middleton

Born in 1945, I graduated in Botany in ’68, I have been a biology teacher and then a Luthier -(musical instrument maker). Raised in E.London I have had a lifelong fascination with countryside because we didn’t have any there and with bicycles because you could get on one and find some open countryside. I always loved landscape paintings and the famous artists of the 20th century in England  such as Hilder, Wesson and Seago. I moved from E. London to Coventry for my first teaching job and stayed.  My main inspiration will probably always be open countryside - viewed from a bike.

Teaching gave me little time for art so there was a long fallow period.  Later as an artisan Luthier I had rather more control over my use of time and, via the discovery of “Watercolour Challenge” on TV, I returned to watercolouring at about the turn of the century. I had a few minor successes over the years at exhibition. My no 1 (to my mind) was the “visitors vote” prize a few years ago in the Case exhibition at the Herbert Art Gallery..

Just before Covid I seemed to have an unsuccessful period and tried oil pastels almost in desperation.  After a shaky start I got the bit between my teeth and now consider that I am a dedicated Oil Pastelist and having more fun than ever. 

I don’t have a dedicated art website.  Most of my paintings can be found collected on a Flickr page- https://www.flickr.com/photos/8386270@N04/