Richard Berner Biography

Richard Berner

Brighton-based artist, Richard Berner is an internationally collected illustrator and painter best known for his detailed pieces where a larger image is created from hundreds of signature hand-drawn figures or ‘champs’.

After studying Fine Art and Animation Berner has gone on to create a range of artworks from children's book illustrations, to limited edition screen prints, surreal portraits on canvas to large-scale wall murals. All in a variety of media from ink on paper to acrylics on wood and glass.

Drawing inspiration from a colourful array of cultural iconography – from Star Wars to Disney, British landmarks to cult celebrity – Berner creates works which bristle with imagination and eccentricity.

With his intricate, ink drawings as a base, Berner brings each work to life with the addition of hand-applied colour and texture, building up layers of paint drips and splatters, for a dynamic and unique aesthetic.

He describes the scenes in his artwork as ‘surreal architecture’ and cites the masters, Dali and MC Escher as his biggest inspirations. It is easy to see this influence in the dream-like scenes he creates which often depict a dystopian view of his hometown of Brighton.

In December 2023, Enter Gallery presented You Can Be Anything (*Or Nothing) - Berner's debut solo show in Brighton. The show explored the vulnerability of the artist, and art's uncanny ability to mean everything to one person and absolutely nothing to the next. Read all about the show here. 

4 prints for £450 from Richard Berner's Pick & Mix Collection

Richard Berner

Richard Berner Artworks