About the artist
Richenda studied Fine Art and Dance at the University of Brighton before completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Dance at the acclaimed Laban Centre in London. She works as a printmaker experimenting with a variety of techniques while also teaching a wide range of workshops and most recently commissions.

In the past Richenda taught choreography and contemporary dance at West Thames College and other venues across West London. She also ran her own dance theatre company for five years.

In 1996 Richenda spent time as an Arts Officer for Richmond Council and was later the Exhibitions Co-ordinator for Surrey County Arts, during which time she worked closely with both artists and galleries on a diverse range of projects.

In 2009 her prints were selected for the Brook Gallery in Devon, one of the leading UK galleries specialising in Modern British Print www.brookgallery.co.uk

Richenda is a member of Richmond Printmakers and Ochre Print Studios. Her work has been selected for New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham, Surrey and shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Show. In June 2008 she was guest artist for a solo exhibition at The Fountain Gallery, Hampton, West London and in 2011 her linocuts will be published in 'Learning Linocut' A Comprehensive Relief Printmaking Guide by Susan Yeates.

She is married with two children and lives in Surrey.

The Prints
The majority of prints are made at Morley College, London, some dating as far back as 1996. Morley is renowned for its master printmakers and Richenda has gained expert knowledge from Richard Michelle and Frank Connolly, printmakers to Birgit Skold, David Hockney and many more. All the works are original hand made art and hand printed using high quality inks and paper.

The prints begin as a line drawing from memory. Figures are central to her work but she infuses these with links to stories from family members, it is the inheritance we carry with us that interests her, although she can often find inspiration from darker stories in the media and the journey of the individual. Gestures of the hands, positions of the figure are all inspired by her training in dance.

The prints are then carefully composed and reworked to invoke the associations she has drawn her inspirations from, finally producing a composition which balances both the image and the story behind the image.

In her etchings Richenda likes to work in soft techniques, drawing on texture and tone. More recently she has made large linocuts and experimented with combining linocuts with etching. Richenda creates her images on a plate which can be made from a variety of materials including copper, zinc, lino and card. Ink is applied to an image which is then transferred to another surface, usually dampened paper, often using Intaglio printing.