Hi Bill
No Bill it wasn't me, I had lost my passion for painting about a year before richard died, I dabbled in and out for a while painting the odd one or two figures, some for private collectors and painted a collection of figures for Franklin Mint as a guide for their painters to work from, sadly the demands of work commitments and buying my first home meant things were on hold as I had no spare cash.
I have fond memories of how I met Richard for the first time, totally out of the blue I rang him at his workshop in Margate, I explained I was a painter and would he be interested in having a look at my work, he seemed very keen so off I went and from the first time we met we got on like a house on fire, he showed me around the workshop and the casting process and his work bench along with figures he was working on, out of the blue he asked if I would paint some for him.....thinking it might just be one....no..... he gave me six, I was blown away...all to be ready for the BMSS show in Wandsworth in the 80's....
Richard was a Biker and sadly it was at a Motocross event where he suffered a fatal asthma attack, even with the help of a surgeon from the crowd they couldn't save him, so Im told, not many realise he used to be a sculptor for the Queens jewellers GARRARD back in the day and the quality showed I think.....outstanding work from a truly exceptional and talented man and friend.
Many years have passed and with retirement my wife mentioned that I should start painting figures again...... but this time for me.......so here I am at the start of a new journey new things to learn and new friends to make...on this forum
Thanks for reading
Nick
