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richard nott

I trained as a fashion designer at Kingston University.

Following that I went to work as design assistant to sig. Valentino in Rome.

After three marvellous years in Italy immersed in sunshine, couture, history and pasta I moved back to the UK and for the next ten years returned to Kingston University as Principal Lecturer in fashion design.

Eventually, wanting to re-enter the fashion industry as an independent designer, I co-founded the cult fashion company 'Workers for Freedom' which was awarded British Fashion Council Designer of the Year in 1990.

In 2000 after selling 'Workers for Freedom' I was free to fulfil a lifelong ambition and become a painter.

Having worked in the fashion industry all my life I have developed a respect and love for texture, shape, colour and pattern.

Wanting to incorporate this into my work led to an initial series of paintings inspired by clothing.

Gaining access to the reserve collections in the Victoria and Albert museum and the Court Collection in Kensington palace in London, exhibitions in the Museé des Arts Decoratifs in Paris and the royal kaftans held in the Topkapi museum in Istanbul I was able to make large paintings of iconic historic garments from different cultures.

This work was presented in a one man show at Browse and Darby in Cork Street, London,

Then, after moving to Kent and ten years of living in and looking after a 15thC National Trust house, I moved to the south coast. settling on the South Downs and looking out towards the sea, my work has taken a semi abstract path but still retains the decorative hints of a long career in fashion.

 

 

Shows

2019 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Hampshire

2018 Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery

2014/15/16 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Hampshire 

2013, 2012, 2011 Brigton Festival, Artists Open House

2009 Paintings of clothing, one one six gallery, Tenterden, Kent

2007 Kimonos, couture and other clothing, Browse and Darby, Cork Street, London

2004 Pandora Maxwell portrait, The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London

2004 Fantasy Gardens, paintings, Harrods, London

2003 Clothing, paintings, Corporate Connoisseurs, London

2003 Flowers in black, paintings, South East Open Studios, Kent

1990 British Designer of the Year, British Fashion Council

1985 - 2000 Workers for Freedom

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