Living in Colour
Shan Richards
Welcome to the vibrant world of Shan Richards, a Sydney-based visual artist whose oil and acrylic paintings create layered, kaleidoscopic worlds. Her work moves between surreal couture-inspired pieces, woven with sculptural fabric folds and featuring subjects such as geishas, koi and roses, and luminous abstracts that explore the psychological effects of colour on wellbeing. United by a bold, expressive palette, these one-of-a-kind works invite viewers into art that uplifts, transforms and connects emotion with experience.
Shan Richards is a Sydney-based visual artist whose vibrant oil and acrylic paintings create immersive, layered worlds. With a couture design background and international experience in fashion and fine art, she brings a tactile, sculptural quality to her work. Her award-winning pieces often feature geishas, koi and roses, blending bold colour with fabric-inspired folds to evoke depth and meaning.
Trained at East Sydney Design Studio and Whitehouse Institute of Design, Shan refined her couture skills with industry mentors before expanding into painting, including studies at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Her practice moves between two distinct styles: her detailed surreal couture oil paintings, and her intuitive abstract acrylic works. While the couture series is rich in symbolism and technical detail, her abstract pieces are guided by emotion and inspired by the psychological effects of colour on wellbeing. These works explore how colours interact on the canvas and within us, drawing from memory, intuition and her lifelong fascination with colour’s power to uplift and transform.
Today, her practice bridges painting, wellbeing and storytelling, including her role with MDOK, a healthcare wellbeing initiative at Sydney Local Health District. She continues to exhibit nationally and internationally, exploring new connections between art, emotion and human experience with colour as the thread that unites it all.
Collection: Couture Art
Couture to Canvas
Shan’s couture artworks are one-of-a-kind creations that blend the elegance of couture draping with the intricate beauty of origami-inspired fabric folds. Each piece is meticulously layered by hand, taking months to complete, and carries a sense of timeless rarity. Inspired by global travel, diverse cultures and vibrant colour palettes, these works capture the essence of beauty and creativity from around the world. With their sculptural depth and figurative storytelling, they are sought-after collector’s pieces available only by direct enquiry.
Collection: Colour your World
Abstracts for Wellbeing
Shan’s vibrant abstracts explore the power of colour to transform spaces and elevate mood. Each piece bursts with energy and emotion, designed to create uplifting, harmonious environments. Through bold combinations and intuitive brushwork, she brings colour into your world, enhancing wellbeing and infusing interiors with life.
Discover more in the Colour Your World collection
