About | Richard Rosebery

Art & me

On completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Art School in Sydney in 2015, I have spent the next nine years painting landscape. A major work Southerly Bondi occupied nearly a year. I then spent a most enjoyable interlude sketching and painting on location in the Western MacDonald Ranges in Central Australia. This formed the basis for a series of studio landscapes showcased at my solo exhibition in Sydney in September 2018.

Richard Rosebery receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Michael Snelling, the Principal of the National Art School

Receiving my degree from the National Art School Dean Michael Snelling - 2016.

After this successful show I and my wife Ruth travelled overseas for 18 months. I sketched, drew and painted as we went, and built up lots of reference materials that will last me for many years to come. After our return to Sydney in 2020 we lived in Byron Bay and for the past four years have been happily ensconced back in Sydney, where recently I successfully held my third solo exhibition entitled Journeys featuring plein-air and studio oil and charcoal works of these times away. During 2024 I’ve been working on a large portrait and landscape, hopefully destined for the Archibald Prize in Sydney.

Successful solo exhibitions: Left - Opening The Heart of Australia exhibition Aug.2018 & Right - Christine Courtney buying painting Broken Head at my Journeys exhibition Apr. 2022

Art is my second career, after a most rewarding 35 years in tourism and hospitality. I formed and ran businesses first in adventure travel and then globally in luxury hotels. For all these years I was fortunate to travel extensively throughout Australia and the world, and whenever and wherever possible sought out remote and extraordinary natural settings that continue to offer rich inspiration for my art.

My lead image for an article I wrote in Adventure Cruising Magazine showing the MV Hanseatic cruising Drygalski Fjord in South Georgia in 2010.

I still ocassionally consult in brand strategy plus hospitality and tourism marketing, as well as do a spot of travel writing. In addition, I have just completed a four year project with my friend Kiyoshi Matsomoto to write a book entitled Japan Unmasked – all about the history, culture and society of this fascinating country. However, irrespective of these distractions, I now devote as much time as possible to my art!

On Milford Sound New Zealand with my daughters Helena & Olivia in 1997.

Born in 1956 and brought up in Sydney, I married my beautiful Swiss partner Ruth in 1983. We have raised two wonderful creative daughters – Helena and Olivia - now in their thirties.

At an early age painting and drawing became a real love. This passion continues!

I hope you enjoy my art!