Richard pearce artist bryher biography

I was born on St Marys into the Pearce’s family who have lived on Scilly since the 1830s. The Hicks Family, on my Great Grandmother’s side, go back forever. My father brought us up; four boys, two girls. Mother left on the day-tripper, I was thirteen; I had a feeling she wasn’t coming back. I grew up and found my feet, traveling to places as far and vast as I ever imagined. It didn’t last long before I came back to the quiet shores of Scilly - my home. 

As a boy, I would stand on St Mary’s strand and watch the flicker of the off-island lights. They seemed distant at night. Years later, when Caroline and I were married, we crossed that brief blue mile, leaving the main island for Bryher - the smallest of the inhabited off-island. The distance was short but the change was immense. No mains electricity, no cars, little contact to outside the borders of this tiny outcrop of land. On a small island everyone had their role. Jonny-Pots picks the crabs, Mike Tender is the fisherman, Ted is the blacksmith, builder and fireman, James and Neil are the boatmen …. I am the island artist. Living here took some getting used to. There are only 92 residents and in two hours you have walked the entire rim of the island.

We have lived on Bryher for 40

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