Born in 1971, Richard Wathen is a British artist who currently lives and works in Suffolk. He primarily paints portraits, be those nudes, adolescents or occasionally animals, though insists that all these paintings are autobiographical. Wathen begins the creative process by accessing a memory, which he then embodies in the painting’s sitter – establishing references through his choice of clothing, palette or gender. The artist’s style has been compared to that of portraitist Thomas Gainsborough, yet the sense of the sinister, the eer ie, that characterizes Wathen’s work ultimately sets him apart. Having studied Fine Art Painting at Winchester school of Art, Wathen received his MA from Chelsea School of Art in 1996. He has since been exhibited internationally, including solo shows in London and New York. Most recently Wathen has been featured in the group show ‘American Psycho’ (Volery Gallery, Dubai) and the solo exhibition ‘Woolgathering’ (FransKasl Projects, Eindhoven.)