3  THE ART OBSERVER where his winning entry was selected from over 3000 entries from around the world. This Easter he had his first Italian solo exhibition in Barga, which was a great success with a packed preview evening, many sales and Richard demonstrating his painting technique the following day in the gallery courtyard. The big question is “will you still be able to buy Richard’s paintings“ And the answer is a big YES YOU CAN! Wendy will still continue with annual solo exhibitions and paintings included in the Summer and Winter mixed exhibitions. Cheap flights and modern communications will allow Richard to make several trips a year back to England, to paint his beloved northern landscape and drop off work with Wendy. Even this newspaper you are reading will continue to be designed by Richard from Italy! Over the coming years, Richard plans to make contacts with galleries not just in Italy, but also France, Spain, Switzerland and Germany to develop an international reputation. It will be interesting to see how the move to Italy will affect Richard’s style and technique. One thing is guaranteed - when you next see Richard at the preview evening for his solo exhibition at Wendy’s Gallery this October, he will have some colour in his cheeks. Not red, after spending a day on the cold wet moors of Saddleworth - but brown, from the Tuscan sun! In the next issue of The Art Observer, Richard will tell us more about Italian life and the infamous Italian bureaucracy. MANY PEOPLE ARE AMAZED TO HEAR THAT RICHARD IS COLOURBLIND, BUT HE USES COLOUR WITH SUCH BRAVADO July 2006 At the solo exhibition in Barga, Richard did a painting demonstration in the formal courtyard of the Gallery, which was photographed and put on the Barga Website The Gallery in Barga has recently been tastefully renovated to form a space full of light