Leading wildlife artist Richard for weekend exhibition in Oughterard

Richard, who spent much of his life travelling, has lived in Connemara for many years, capturing its varied landscape.

placeholder image — Richard, who spent much of his life travelling, has lived in Connemara for many years, capturing its varied landscape.

'Natural Selection', a new exhibition from Conemara-based wildlife artist, Richard Ward, is opening in Oughterard's Courthouse Gallery this Friday, November 13, and will run over the weekend, until Sunday, November 15.

Richard, who is renowned for his wildlife paintings, was born in Yorkshire in 1944 and moved to Ireland in the 1960s.

His lifelong passion for nature and art has brought him to countries in Africa, India, Europe and the Middle East.

Having travelled widely in their earlier years, Richard and his wife, Wendy, now live in the Maam Valley.

His art has been exhibited throughout Ireland as well as in England, mainland Europe and the USA, and he has also been invited to exhibit at the prestigious Explorers Club in New York.

Richard has won many accolades for his landscape and life-size portrait paintings, and among his commissions was a portrait of the Sultan of Oman. This was later reproduced as the country’s national stamp.

While this weekend's exhibition might have a short run, Richard is presenting a diverse range of work in the show.

New paintings will include wildlife subjects from India, Africa and Ireland, along with portraits and landscapes. And, for the first time, he will be showing sketches in pen and ink.

The exhibition will be officially opened at Oughterard Courthouse at 7pm this Friday and all are invited. It will run on Saturday from 11am to 5pm and on Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm. It's free and all are welcome.