Richard A. Kirk | Visual Artist | Author
"there is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion" Sir Frances Bacon, Of Beauty, Essays" 1625
Drawing of a Unicorn by a Man Who has Never Seen a Unicorn, 2025, ink on 300lb Arches coldpress, 11" x 7.5" I found a piece of 300lb Arches coldpress paper with a deckle edge hiding in a folder. It was perfect for this drawing. I have always been amused by the story of Albrecht... Continue Reading →
Otolith, 2025, ink on paper, 14" x 10" I finished "Otolith" yesterday, but inspiration for the piece goes back to childhood memories of collecting fish bones on the shore of Lake Huron. I was, am, drawn to the bones for their interesting shapes. They end up bleaching on window-ledges or lost in various drawers. Over... Continue Reading →
"Secret Affinities" is my first completed drawing of 2025. It tips the hat to a couple of my favourite artists—can you identify them? The idea for this picture came from a small sketch of a witch that I did a few years ago. In this image, I drew her with her with a prominent left... Continue Reading →
This is the third winter for the cardinal nest in the bush outside my studio window. It has remained intact through many storms and has at various times been a hang for chipmunks and mice. Earlier today I saw 3 bald eagles flying over the river near my house through the snow and mist. Birds... Continue Reading →
Extremophile, 2024, ink on paper, 20" x 28" Here is my finished drawing, EXTREMOPHILE. I worked on this through much of the summer. It's quite large and occupied most of my drawing table. There are three compositions here working as one: right, left and centre. I like the negative space in this piece, the way... Continue Reading →
The Mad Butterfly's Ball is a new insect themed anthology of weird fiction and essays. About a year ago, I was commissioned to create a cover and some interior illustrations for a new anthology from PS Publishing called The Mad Butterfly's Ball, edited by Preston Grassmann and Chris Kelso. I also contributed a short story... Continue Reading →
No matter how surreal or fantastic my pieces finish up, they nearly always start with natural forms. No matter how surreal or fantastic my pieces finish up, they nearly always start with natural forms. The shapes of insects, plants, bones, fossils etc. are all building blocks I use to create composition and meaning in my... Continue Reading →
I found a forgotten stash of watercolour paper in my studio, which inspired me to do a few smaller works over the last couple of weeks. These ink drawings are tinted with Liquitex coloured inks in the manner of watercolours. I'm adding these to my shop as I finish them, so check in from time... Continue Reading →
The Stranger Greets the Dawn, 2023, ink on artboard, 10" x 11.5" I finished this drawing on September 10. It started life as an endpaper illustration for a forthcoming book project. In the end we chose another image, so I expanded the this original drawing and rounded out the composition. It is very much in-line... Continue Reading →
Past the Light is a new work in ink and watercolour, which explores some of my favourite themes of transformation, decay and natural history. I've included a few close ups below. This piece is available for sale on my Big Cartel webstore. Past the Light, 2023, ink & watercolour on board, 14" x 10"
Richard A. Kirk | Visual Artist | Author 