1981 – 1999: ALL CHANGE
Brian Rice’s return to the West Country brought new artistic inspiration and a change of approach.
He moved into his new home in Dorset, Nallers Farm, in 1978. Farming and the restoration of the farmhouse were at first his major preoccupations. He also discovered a deep fascination for archaeology. But in 1981 a return to his primary identity as an artist beckoned. His works began to combine his earlier geometric approach with a new organic one influenced by the landscapes around him.
Green Man dish found at Nallers Farm 
Brian Rice with his sheep dog Hardy at Nallers Farm, 1982
Gouache on Bockingford paper, 58 x 76 cm
The title of this work reflects its archaeological inspiration. A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a prehistoric grave, examples of which can be found throughout the world. This was the last painting made at Nallers Farm.
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Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 128 x 102 cm
Dowth is a megalithic passage tomb in County Meath, Ireland, built around 3200 BC. The tomb is older than both Stonehenge and Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza. Brian Rice’s interest in rock art came from reading books on this subject.
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Lithograph, 58 x 83 cm
The King’s Tomb explores universal abstract patterns found in rock art. A field of spirals is set below a vibrant band of vermilion red containing a serpentine form.
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