Richard was born in Cellardyke in Fife in 1965, and after attending local schools he joined the Scottish Fisheries Museum as Assistant Curator. By the tender age of nineteen he had been promoted to Curator and by twenty one he also held the post of Administrator and Company Secretary. What's more interesting isn't what he's accomplished but how his talent seemed to blossom in the salt air surrounded by the hard work of fishing industry.

His canvases are monumental, with subject matter ranging from the pelagic fleet of Shetland to street entertainers at Edinburgh Fringe. His first exhibition, based upon his observations at the Fringe Festival, entitled "no' jist buskers!" at the Netherbow was visited by over 30,000 people.

Richard receives regular commission work such as his monumental work for the Shetland Arts Trust entitled "Canvas" celebrating the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race in Lerwick in 1999. A CD and book supported this popular exhibition. Other work of Richard's has toured Scotland making stops at the Sealife Centres of St. Andrews, Oban and Brighton. He is an active participant of Shetland's music community and his oversized portraits of Shetland Musicians were created to help promote this dynamic aspect of Shetland's cultural heritage.

Thistle & Broom is filled with stories about the "how" something came to be, Richard's presence here is no exception. A late afternoon phone call resulted in an invitation to visit Shetland Lace knitters on Unst. This warranted a dash to the first of two ferries from Shetland. In totally unfamiliar territory and abiding by a tight travel schedule I found myself following Richard madly across the Isle of Yell to the Unst ferry - mind you this was my first experience driving on the left let alone at "islander speed", thankfully I survived as did the local sheep! On the short ferry to Unst (and another subsequent Le Mans-like journey) we talked about what brought me to Unst on a late January day.

You are now in the rare position to own Richard's art as a result of our dialogue. Long been influenced by the convergence of the seas, Shetland harbours have long been hosts to trade. International treaties and the harsh realties of the political landscape means that the real wealth is destined for distant shores however. Shetland's youth lured by the abundance found elsewhere are forced to leave the verdant land of their fathers and mothers and with them the hope of preserving the indigenous crafts so unique to these islands. Finding a way to preserve such heritage should be of primary importance and, so, your purchase will help to establish the Thistle & Broom Scholarship.

pelagic "relating to or occurring or living in or frequenting the open ocean"