It is now 12 years since Ric moved into the cottage built by the eccentric painter Dan Sherrin – a small summer residency on the seafront in a secluded garden on The Saxon Shore Way, a long-distance footpath in England, which starts at Gravesend, Kent, and traces the coast of South-East England for 163 miles in total. He is one in a long line of artists , writers and novelists that made the town their home, for reasons such as the gorgeous light and stunning sunsets. You can read more about it in the February 2025 article: The sky below our feet – Whitstable Views
Eccentric painter Dan Sherrin (1869 – 1940) was an artist that could not be missed about the town, as he insisted on wearing the most outrageously chequer plus fours and his love of beer was legendary.
Dan was also a famous self-publicist of the most humorous kind, a practical joker who not only poked fun at those in authority – he even built his own airplane and created a spoof fire brigade! One of Dan’s paintings still hangs in Buckingham Palace, as he was once commissioned by King George V.
An elderly neighbour who lived nearby, told Ric that he recalls seeing Winston Churchill plus entourage on the little foot bridge on Preston Parade viewing the newly installed gun battery, which was right in front of the house in about 1943.
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“Since moving into Dan Sherrin’s cottage, I have set up my studio at the front of the house, which overlooks the sea. This has changed my working practice profoundly, as I now have a wealth of natural beauty in front of me and I am less dependent on notes and colour sketches.”
“My paintings have much to do with the changing energy of weather; encompassing all sorts of environmental conditions, which can range massively from attractive, peaceful and scenic to threatening and dangerous.
I can now work directly on canvas while engaging with my subject and depict various sea states and light events that may have otherwise evaded me. It has become possible to study storms in greater detail and track showers and their influence on the sea in some degree of comfort. These paintings are therefore composed in my imagination based on observed realities. They are true to my inner eye. Unfortunately, despite the house’s prominence and history, time and gravity have taken their toll, leaving every floor uneven, so when I first moved in, the horizon appeared to lean when looking out from the window!”
Ric opens his studio to the public on most days throughout the year. You can now visit him and buy his original paintings, prints and greeting cards directly from him.
He has set up a permanent display at the front of his house with a rolling exhibition of finished pieces. This gallery space is open on weekends from 10:30am – 5pm, but please make an appointment beforehand. To arrange a visit, call 07835294317, or email enquiries@richorner.com
All paintings on display are for sale and can be viewed at: Available paintings – 2025.
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Ric collaborates on site with his partner Annett on site, who works in a bold, expressive, semi-abstract way.