Artist Statement

As I see the natural world around me being reduced by the ever increasing urbanisation, development and pollution a my work have become more political.

I focus on rivers that are polluted, on proposals and developments that build over beautiful and rich natural habitats, and on the species decline and loss we face in the UK and globally.

I strive to create work that pulses with life! This is how I experience nature. I paint mostly with my gloved hands so that I can fully express my emotional and physical connection with my subject, like a dance on canvas. The tactile process of painting in this way, building up layers, textures and diaphanous surfaces, is where I find the greatest joy.

I paint landscapes that express my somatic and emotional experience of being in the natural world and responding to its power, fragility and temporality.

Here I feel a sense of 'sameness' or 'oneness' with nature. This lived experience of place is central to expressing the quality of connection I feel with the land and the elements.

My painting process involves invention and memory alongside inspiration from direct nature-immersion, and sketching, painting and photographing my subjects outdoors before I begin work in the studio.

I paint in oils and natural resins on canvas or board because I love the brilliance, layering, dynamism and translucence made possible with oil paint. I see myself as an expressive landscape painter and my creative practice weaves together realism and abstraction.

Ultimately, I want my work to convey a passionate sense of awe and interconnectedness with the natural world and its fragile ecology. This planet is a sanctuary and source of inspiration for the human spirit and our very existence now depends on our collective commitment to the Earth and our willingness to protect it.

For any painting or commission enquiries, please contact Riga here or call her on +44 07748 765 949.

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