Gil Rice

What can we say about our modern renaissance man “The Web Master” Gil Rice, profile below. For someone who is self taught and took up the art after diagnosis, he has developed a very distinctive style. His clear lines and bold use of colour produced pieces that could have sold over and over if available. We have admired his work on notelets and cards but the originals show the true range and vibrancy of his work.

 

 

 

 

I wasn’t born an artist and in my younger years the thoughts of painting was foreign to me. At school I enjoyed drawing and I suppose I was quite good at it, especially if the picture had detail in it. On leaving school I Joined the RAF and the thought of art as a hobby never really crossed my mind. My only connection with art was through my father who did oil painting and I used to watch him on occasions.When I had to leave work with a rare form of Motor Neurone Disease my life changed rather dramatically. I was introduced to the Lewis Manning Day Care Centre, now called Lewis Manning Hospice. I decided to give it a try and on my first visit the Creative Arts therapist, Sarah, asked if I had anything I would like to do. From out of the blue I said ‘Water colour painting’. ‘OK’ she said’ have you done any before’. I said ‘No, but I had done a short course in what was called ‘The Hake Technique’’.

I chose a picture of Polperro Harbour in Cornwall (left). My second painting was of Gold Hill (right); both of these paintings were made into cards for sale at Lewis Manning. I felt that was a great honour for me. Since then I haven’t stopped painting and have done somewhere in the range of 17 paintings. Most are hanging at home and some of those have progressed to this exhibition. They have also been hung in an exhibition which Lewis Manning held on the White Wall in Poole Library. My proudest moment was when I did a painting which went to auction at a Lewis Manning Charity Ball and went for a good sum of money. The painting (below) was a view from Evening Hill over Poole Harbour.

 

 

 

Latterly Sonje has turned her creative talents to writing especially poetry.

 

 

NEW FOREST AND EAST DORSET BRANCH of the MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION ART EXHIBITION,

UPTON HOUSE,

MARCH 2008.