Richard Hearns is an Irish painter working in the Burren, County Clare. He is known for both his figurative still life paintings and large-scale gestural abstractions, where composition, materiality, and mark-making take centre stage.
His practice is rooted in physicality, driven by a need to connect and leave an impression of life energy. A background in representational painting informs his abstract work, which balances discipline with spontaneity. Charcoal lines carve space, enclose shapes, and create movement, while subtle framing devices and carefully structured compositions guide the viewer’s eye.
Born in Beirut in 1980 and adopted into Ireland, Hearns carries a dual heritage that shapes his artistic identity. His work exists between cultures and histories, forming a unique visual language influenced by the landscape in which he now creates. The Burren’s raw, ancient presence acts as both setting and source, its rhythms echoing in the flow of his gestures.
Hearns’ paintings evoke a sense of wonder and possibility, offering a visceral experience that connects the viewer to something larger. His intention is to create works that enrich lives visually, emotionally, and creatively, engaging with the fundamental act of creation itself.
In his most recent body of paintings, Hearns has been exploring the concept of thresholds through imaginary landscapes, employing prismatic colour to evoke realms felt beyond the everyday.
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Amethyst Valley, 2024oil on board24cm x 19cm (9.4" x 7.5")
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Glacial I, 2024oil on board21cm x 21cm (8.3" x 8.3")
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Glacial II, 2024oil on board19cm x 24cm (7.5" x 9.4")
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Ink Traces Across the Infinite, 2024oil on canvas190cm x 120cm (75" x 47")
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Monadnock, 2024oil on board19cm x 24cm (7.5" x 9.4")
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Numinous, 2024oil on board19cm x 24cm (7.5" x 9.4")
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Verdigris, 2024oil on board24cm x 19cm (9.4" x 7.5")
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Whimsical, 2024oil on board24cm x 19cm (9.4" x 7.5")
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The Living Mountain, 2024oil on linen178cm x 690cm (70" x 272")
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Elysian, 2024oil on linen162cm x 100cm (64" x 39")
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Golden, 2023oil on linen178cm x 132cm (70" x 52")
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Living Ember, 2024oil on linen76cm x 50cm (30" x 20")
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Miart 2025
3 - 6 Apr 2025 Art Fairs -
Cadogan Gallery
A Group Exhibition 3 Oct 2024 - 7 Feb 2025 London -
Summer Online Exhibition
1 Jul - 31 Aug 2024 -
Richard Hearns
The Living Mountain 14 May - 27 Jul 2024 Milan -
miart 2024
11 - 14 Apr 2024 Art Fairs -
Summer Exhibition
28 Jun - 19 Aug 2023 London -
Richard Hearns
Nomad 16 Nov - 17 Dec 2022 London -
Richard Hearns
Enclave 8 - 25 Jun 2021 LondonCadogan Contemporary is delighted to announce the second solo exhibition of works by painter Richard Hearns. Entitled Enclave this series of paintings explores the concepts of multi-cultural belonging, identity and...Read more
Having studied in Dublin at The Institute of Art, Design and Technology and The National College of Art and Design, Richard's talent for drawing and line work led to a keen interest in observational painting. Though executed in a variety of media, his works are primarily oil based. In more recent years, Richard has turned his attention to abstract painting. These works have brought an entirely new discipline and challenge to his practice. Richard has been exhibiting for over a decade and, to date, has had solo shows in Dublin, London, Paris, Barcelona, Los Angeles and New York. His work can be found in important collections around the globe.
Education
2004 | H DIP Art Craft and Design Education NCAD, Dublin, Ireland. | |
2002 | BFA Fine Art Interdisciplinary Digital Media IADT, Dublin, Ireland. | |
2001 | DIPLOMA Fine Art Interdisciplinary Digital Media IADT, Dublin, Ireland. |
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 | 'The Living Mountain', Cadogan Gallery, Milan, Italy. | |
2023 | 'Sheshia Retrospective', Clare, Ireland. | |
2022 | 'Nomad', Cadogan Gallery, London, UK. | |
2021 |
'Enclave', Cadogan Gallery, London, UK. |
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2018 |
'The Cardinal's Portrait', The Sheen Centre for Thought and Culture, New York, USA. |
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2014 | 'Raw/Cooked: Last of the Summer Mackerel', Galerie La Cornue, Paris, France. | |
2012 | 'Paintings by Richard Hearns', Offices of the Cardinal of New York, New York, USA. | |
2007 | 'Towards an Island', Wonksiri Gallery, Koh Mak, Trad Provience, Thailand. |
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 | 'Summer Exhibition', Cadogan Gallery, London, UK. | |
2022 | Sotheby's New Bond Street Galleries, London, UK. | |
'Groundzero360', Houston Baptist Universty, Houston, Texas, USA. | ||
2017 | ‘Iomramh’, Espronceda Center for Arts and Culture, Barcelona, Spain. | |
2014 | 'Kunstler International Symposium: Group Exhibition', Villa Bohm, Neustradt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. | |
2013 | VUE, Royal Hibernian Academy, Gallagher Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin, Ireland. |
Artist Residencies and Awards
2015 | Assistant to Associate Professor of Abstract Painting at the Kunstakademie, Bad Reichenhall, Germany. | |
Selected to present work to the Prince of Wales on behalf of the Burren College of Art and NUI Galway, . | ||
Ireland. | ||
Artist in residence, Nave 12, Barcelona, Spain. | ||
2014 | International Artist Symposium, City of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. | |
2012 | The Art Students League of New York, USA. | |
2011 | Artist in residence, Custom House Studios, Westport Quay, Co. Mayo, Ireland. | |
Fingal County Enterprise Board, Export Grant Initiative Award, Ireland. | ||
Officially sponsored by Richard Oliver Fine Art Brushes, Ireland. | ||
2009-10 | Artist in residence, Cill Rialaig Foundation, Bolas Head, Co. Kerry. | |
2008 | Artist in residence, The Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. | |
2006 | Artist in residence, The Mantua Art Project, Mantua Co. Roscommon. |
Collections
Irish State Collection |
Galgorm Group, N. IRE |
St Patrick's Cathedral, NYC |
Naomi House Children's Hospice, UK |
Aston Wealth Management, IRE |
ITC company, IRE |
SEPIL, IRE |
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A Group Exhibition | Article | Visual Atelier 8
Visual Atelier 8, November 7, 2024 -
A Group Exhibition | Mention | Country & Town House
Olivia Emily, Country & Town House, November 1, 2024 -
London’s Cadogan Gallery Has a New Flagship Space | Article | Hypebeast
Shawn Ghassemitari, Hypebeast, October 9, 2024 -
La Cadogan Gallery déménage | Article | Le Quotidien de l'Art
Jade Pillaudin, Le Quotidien de l'Art , October 9, 2024 -
Cadogan Gallery opens new space with group exhibition | Articile | Nigerian Tribune
Akintayo Abodunrin, The Nigerian Tribune, October 6, 2024 -
Anti-Frieze: 9 Free Exhibitions to See in London during Frieze Week | Mention | FAD Magazine
Lee Sharrock, FAD Magazine, October 6, 2024 -
Cadogan Gallery Opens New London Flagship in Belgravia | Article | Ocula News
Ocula News, September 25, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY: A GROUP EXHIBITION | ARTICLE | MEDIA E SIPARIO
Media e sipario, August 29, 2024 -
RICHARD HEARNS | ARTICLE | WHITE HOT MAGAZINE
Raphy Sarkissian, Noah Becker's White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art, August 2, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY: A GROUP EXHIBITION | ARTICLE | POLITICAMENTECORRETTO
politicamentecorretto.com, July 29, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT | INSIDEART
Inside Art, July 3, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT | ARTICLE | ARTDAILY
Artdaily, June 29, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY LAUNCH ANNOUNCEMENT | ARTICLE | ARTNET
Artnet, June 28, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT | ARTICLE | EXIBART
EXIBART, June 27, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT | ARTICLE | ARTSLIFE
Carolina Belfiore, ArtsLife, June 27, 2024 -
CADOGAN GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT | ARTICLE | FAD MAGAZINE
Mark Westall, FAD Magazine, June 27, 2024 -
RICHARD HEARNS | ARTICLE | FINESTRE SULL'ARTE
Redazione, Finestre sull'Arte, June 1, 2024 -
RICHARD HEARNS | ART DAILY | ARTICLE
Art Daily, May 15, 2024 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE IRISH EXAMINER | FEATURE
Des O'Sullivan, The Irish Examiner, April 1, 2023 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE BROOKLYN RAIL | ARTICLE
Raphy Sarkissian, The Brooklyn Rail, December 16, 2022 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE INDEPENDENT IRELAND | ARTICLE
Niall MacMonagle, The Independent Ireland, December 4, 2022 -
RICHARD HEARNS | WHITE HOT MAGAZINE | ARTICLE
Raphy Sarkissian, White Hot Magazine, June 25, 2021 -
RICHARD HEARNS | WHITEHOT MAGAZINE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Raphy Sarkissian , Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art , June 1, 2021 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE WAY | FEATURE
Christian D'Antonio , The Way , January 25, 2021 -
RICHARD HEARNS | CLARE ECHO | FEATURE
Cian Ó Broin, Clare Echo , October 4, 2020 -
RICHARD HEARNS | BUSINESS POST IRELAND | FEATURE
Ros Drinkwater , Business Post Ireland, May 17, 2020 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE MEDICAL INDEPENDENT IRELAND
The Medical Independent Ireland , March 31, 2020 -
RICHARD HEARNS | CLARE ECHO
Páraic McMahon, Clare Echo , September 20, 2019 -
RICHARD HEARNS | WALL STREET INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Wall Street International Magazine , December 13, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE NATIONAL ARTS&CULTURE MIDDLE EAST
Seth Jacobson , The National Arts&Culture Middle East, November 1, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | INDEPENDENT IRELAND
Hilary White, Independent Ireland, September 24, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE LONDON MAGAZINE | FEATURE
Harry Dougall, The London Magazine, September 18, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | WIDEWALLS MAGAZINE | FEATURE
Eric Block , Widewalls Magazine, September 10, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | LUXLIFE MAGAZINE | FEATURE
LUXLife Magazine , July 29, 2018 -
RICHARD HEARNS | BOSTON GLOBE
Kevin Cullen , Boston Globe, April 15, 2016 -
RICHARD HEARNS | INDEPENDENT IRELAND
Hilary A White , Independent Ireland, December 28, 2015 -
RICHARD HEARNS | THE SUNDAY TIMES | FEATURE
John P O'Sullivan , The Sunday Times, February 16, 2014