Gallery 4
Richard Finlayson - Mind Over Matter
16 - 27 September 2026
please note last day of exhibition ends on 30 August at 3pm
Opening night
18 September | 6 - 8 pm
Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am – 5 pm
ARTIST STATEMENT
Richard is a prolific artist who over 40 years of experience has honed his painting skills and developed several large bodies of work that span several styles of art. His figurative depictions of contemporary urban landscapes and familiar shopfronts from the Thornbury and Northcote areas are treated with equal measures of whimsy and technical expertise, revealing his understanding of shadow, command of perspective and attention to detail.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Despite Richard Finlayson’s limited CV, He has maintained a strong and constantly evolving art practice that draws inspiration from broad subjects such as local street-scapes, psychedelic imagery and abstraction.
After winning the equivalent of TOP Arts in year 12 at Wesley College, Richard studied Fine art at RMIT. After a lengthy hiatus from study, Richard returned to RMIT TAFE in 2018 to learn new skills, work in various media, meet other artists and to nurture the self-taught and inquisitive nature of his painting practice.
Since the 1980’s, as well as maintaining his painting practice, Richard has designed record covers, t-shirts and advertising material for several local Melbourne bands including; Tyrnaround, The Warner Brothers, Overnight Jones. Richard has also designed and printed several ranges of T-shirts displaying his own idiosyncratic motifs.
Richard is a prolific artist who over 40 years of experience has honed his painting skills and developed several large bodies of work that span several styles of art. His figurative depictions of contemporary urban landscapes and familiar shopfronts from the Thornbury and Northcote areas are treated with equal measures of whimsy and technical expertise, revealing his understanding of shadow, command of perspective and attention to detail.
The abstract and psychedelic inspired works display Richard’s sensitivity to colour and ability to create dream-like combinations of geometry, intertwining botanical forms and illusionistic space.
Although the subject matter is quite diverse, all of the works are linked by Richards unique style and bold palette. The proposed exhibition would bring together multiple works, curated to allow a conversation of colour, pattern and imagery to reverberate around the space.