Flight & Freedom: Richard Thewlis

An exhibition that draws parallels between the natural world of birds and the urgent need to protect our planet from exploitation, climate change and conflict.

Flight and Freedom is the culmination of a life dedicated to the natural world, both as a professional ornithologist and as a self-taught plein air artist. ‘Flight’ reflects Thewlis’s deep fascination with birds and the environments they inhabit. Field sketches and observations of birds in their natural habitats are displayed alongside more detailed, finished compositions in watercolour, oil and acrylic.

‘Freedom’ comprises a collection of protest art in which plein air painting has evolved into a form of social and political expression. These works offer a personal reflection on the state of the planet today, addressing issues including environmental destruction, deforestation, the climate emergency and ongoing global conflicts. Thewlis explains:

“These pieces have been seen at street protests and photographed by many people. It has been good to meet with others of like mind, to speak truth to power, and show defiance to those who seek to support and justify the endless war-mongering and devastation of our natural world.”

Thewlis is a lifelong ornithologist, naturalist and self-taught artist with a deep fascination for the natural world. After graduating in Ecology, he joined expeditions studying threatened species in the tropical forests of Ecuador and Laos. His travels through Turkey, China, Tibet and Nepal further developed his passion for sketching and painting wildlife from life, with a particular focus on the intricate details and movement of birds.

Having witnessed the destruction of natural habitats, Thewlis has extended his artistic practice into social and political expression. Through large-scale protest banners, he transforms concerns about environmental destruction and social injustice into thought-provoking artworks that challenge and inspire.