Richard Hearns was born in Beirut in the late 1970s in the midst of fierce fighting in the Lebanese capital. Since then, Hearns has become one of Ireland's finest contemporary painters, working and living in the surrounds of the heart of the Burren, a beautiful national park in the southwest of the country. His work is rooted in the landscape of Ireland while reflecting his dual heritage and global perspective. Hearns paints from his studio at the edge of The Burren National Park in County Clare. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of earth, sea, and sky, he creates dynamic and expressive paintings that explore memory, identity, and the universal human experience.
Hearns’ practice is characterized by gestural abstraction, where each canvas becomes an extension of the body and a meditation on belonging, culture, and the natural world. His paintings invite viewers into a space of contemplation, resonance, and connection.
He has held several notable exhibitions at institutions and galleries including Cadogan Gallery (London), The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture (New York), and Sotheby’s (London). His works are also represented in prominent international collections such as Dublin City University, the Irish State Collection, Galgorm Group (Northern Ireland), St. Patrick’s Cathedral (New York City), Naomi House Children’s Hospice (UK), Aston Wealth Management (Ireland), ITC Company (Ireland), and SEPIL (Ireland).
Through his art, Richard Hearns continues to build a visual language that bridges cultures, histories, and geographies, affirming the timeless role of painting as a medium of exploration and connection.
