Meet the Qrafties II: Richard Crosbie, Hong Kong Urban Sketcher and Plein Air Artist

5 Mins Read

Richard Crosbie is originally from a small mining village near Caerphilly in South Wales. Ever since he was a young boy, he has been interested in art and crafts and spent equal measure playing outside, painting, drawing, and making things inside on rainy days. Richard graduated from Ravensbourne College with a degree in Product Design and started his career in Hong Kong about 25 years ago.

Richard enjoyed a career in the toy industry for a number of years, up until the Pandemic. The company he was working for at the time then ‘folded’ and he was left jobless and isolated, unable to travel. It was then that he picked up an empty sketchbook that was given to him as a gift from his ex-colleagues and he went outside to sketch various locations around Hong Kong as a bit of fun. He found being outside sketching and painting cathartic enabling him to temporarily forget about his troubles. He then started to upload his artwork on social media and was pleasantly surprised by the reaction he received. It was only after receiving requests for ‘prints’ did the seed of an idea for a new career in art appear to him. It was accidental, unplanned, and grew organically. Richard calls it ‘making Lemonade out of lemons.

Tell us about your artwork, Richard!

The first en plein air painting that I did after picking up a paintbrush again after a gap of almost 30 years was of a local beach. I used an old unopened back of acrylic paints that I was given as a birthday gift and just started. The result was a little rough, but it proved to me that I ‘still had it’. I then continued to sketch and paint and explore my neighbourhood and then the wider areas of Hong Kong. It felt quite liberating to be out on the streets urban sketching from life on location. It was at this point that I started to reconnect with Hong Kong and appreciate its intensity of life all over again.

After exhausting my pack of acrylic paints I then bought a set of watercolours and quickly realised that it was a completely different medium requiring a different skill set and approach. Where Acrylic painting is additive, building colours and tones on top of each other from dark to light, whereas watercolour painting is the complete opposite. It’s reductive, you paint in layers from light to dark. The brightest ‘colour’ you will ever have in watercolour painting is the white of the paper. I don’t limit myself to one medium however and I like exploring different materials such as pen, ink, pastels, etc.

How has living in Hong Kong influenced your practice and creativity as an artist?

Living in Hong Kong is the reason I am retooling myself as an artist. For too long I felt that I was part of the corporate ladder-climbing rat race. Stuck on the mouse wheel of commuting from work to home, and had grown numb to my surroundings and oblivious to how fortunate I am to be living in such an amazing corner of the world. I am truly grateful for having been able to have a design career in Hong Kong and don’t regret it at all. However, only after a ‘career shock’ do I now realise what a privilege it has been to live in such an amazing city and I feel that my senses have awoken to let me fully experience my surroundings as if for the first time again. Hong Kong is a wonderfully fascinating muse, be it the contrast between east meets west, modern versus traditional, urban versus natural, etc, or just the sheer vibrancy of life to the density and layers of detail in any given scene. I love it all.

Do you approach each artwork in the same way, or does it change from piece to piece?

I’d say my approach changes depending on the subject and medium that I am using. I like to switch from painting to drawing sometimes and pick up a biro pen instead of a paintbrush. I find that working in restrictive media such as pen ink and being able to create realistic textures and effects feeds back into my painting in a virtuous circle.

How has your artistic style and technique evolved along your art journey?

I’ve not thought about my ‘artistic style’ as it were, I just attempt to create the best representation of whatever I’m working on in whatever medium I’m using. However, I have been told by others that my work has a certain ‘technicality’ which may reflect my design background. I do have a passion for three-dimensional perspective views and I love details. I find it’s the density of details in a Hong Kong environment that is part of the experience of living here.

I have seen my work evolve, but I believe that’s due to my own intentions of exploring different techniques and styles. Painting both fast and loose whilst on location and then slow and steady in the studio (which is a grand name I use for my kitchen table!). Sometimes I’ll see an effect or technique that another artist uses and try it out myself on my own work but in the context of my Hong Kong focus.

What does it mean to you when you sell a piece of your artwork?

I feel so honoured and touched whenever someone connects with one of my artworks to the point that would like to purchase it. It’s incredibly validating to feel that the time and effort I have put into creating has not been in vain.

Have there been any obstacles in pursuing a career as an artist that has challenged you creatively or personally?

Following my toy design years, ‘art’ is the second career that I am pursuing. So I’m familiar with the struggles and frustrations that I felt when previously first starting out, although this time I have the benefit of maturity and a well-practiced work ethic. I’m still new to the ‘art scene’ but I believe that if I keep producing quality material that connects with others, eventually good things will happen.

Are there any artists or designers who have had an influence on your work or art journey?

I remember at school discovering artists like discovering new music bands. One week I’d be all about ‘Van Gogh’ the next week I would be a ‘Dali’ fan, the next it was all about ‘Albrecht Durer’. I was especially intrigued by the ‘Pre-Raphelite Brotherhood. The idea of a secret society of artists dedicated to a pure form of art appealed to my non-conformist tendencies. They seemed very ‘rock and roll’ to me!

At the same time, movies have had some of the greatest influences on both my imagination and artistic style. Particularly the set design and cinematography of some of Ridley Scott’s films. I think the movie ‘Blade Runner’ in particular with its futuristic noir style struck a chord with me. The neo-futuristic concept design work of Syd Mead probably nudged me towards a career in design more so than any school guidance counselor!

What would you like to see more in the art industry in Hong Kong?

It’s incredibly difficult for new artists to find partners or galleries to exhibit their work. Wall space seems very hard to come by especially with the prohibitive costs of rents in the city. I’d like to see more spaces available for new artists and more opportunities for them to present their artwork.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

Just after I was made redundant and with the onset of the pandemic, a friend recommended 2 books to me. One was called ‘Forever Employable’ by Jeff Gothelf which deals with how to make a future-proof career for oneself and the other was called ‘Finding your Element’ by Ken Robinson, which deals with finding something that we are naturally predisposed to and passionate about. Both books illustrate how each one of us has unique life experiences, backgrounds, and aptitudes and how that can be used to create a personal brand.

So I started to debate with myself; ‘Ok, what’s so special about me? Well, I’d like to be an artist, (but there are millions of artists). Yes, well I’m an artist living in Hong Kong, (but there are tens of thousands of artists in Hong Kong). But I’m an artist originally from Wales, with a product design background & have been off living in Hong Kong for 25 years. Gradually I was able to quiet down my own dissenting internal voice and come to an understanding that I do have a valid view of the world and the means to act on it through creating art.

What’s next? Will you be launching a new series of artwork? Give us a teaser!

My goal for this year is to have my first physical exhibition. I’d love to have a solo event someplace in an urban setting that would reflect much of the subject matter and scenes of my work. I would welcome any suggestions and offers from any parties interested in hosting such an event.

WORDS FROM OUR FOUNDER

“I first met Richard at a local craft fair and was impressed by how passionate he is about art and of course his artwork is just magnificent! If he had never told me, I would have thought that he has been an artist for years. I got to know Richard a bit more after he joined the Qraftie community in 2022. Richard runs his Qraftie store in a professional and efficient manner; the positive reviews he received in his Qraftie store reflected that too. I am inspired by the way Richard is always up for trying new things and he grabs every potential opportunity that comes along his art journey. I am also impressed by how resilient Richard was on his career change and I am glad to know that he has turned a hidden talent of his into a full-time profession that he enjoys. I am grateful to have Richard as part of our Qraftie Community and I look forward to seeing Richard continue to shine through his artistic journey.

Thank you for being an appreciative reader as always. Meet the Qrafties II is a series of Qraftie sellers’ stories, sharing with you the passion and hard work behind the creative works you see in their Qraftie stores. If you enjoy reading this blog post, please share it with your family and friends. Stay tuned for our next Meet the Qrafties story.

March 2023

Check out Richard’s art here 👇

Qraftie Store: Richard Crosbie Art