Painter, printmaker and teacher, born in Yeovil, Somerset, who obtained his diploma at the local School of Art, 1952–6, then his teacher’s certificate at Goldsmiths’ College, 1958–9. From 1959 Rice held many teaching appointments including Central, St Martin’s and Slade Schools of Art and Brighton, Croydon, Hornsey and Royal Colleges of Art, later appointments including Yeovil College and University of Brighton from 1991. From 1961 Rice took part in numerous group shows, including those of the Printmakers’ Council of Great Britain, of which he was chairman, 1974–7. In the 1960s and early 1970s work by Rice seemed to be everywhere: at advanced galleries such as the New Vision Centre; in national newspapers and colour supplements; in Tatler, House and Garden, Woman and Peace News; and in advertisements for White Horse Whisky, furniture, carpets and gas fires.
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Rooms at the Geffrye Museum and at the Ideal Home Exhibition in 1970 contained Rice’s pictures, which were also evident in films such as Morgan, A Suitable Case for Treatment, The Untouchables and The President. American companies filming Swinging London included Rice on their circuit. His work was linked with that of the Op-Art movement. In 1972 with Tony Evans Rice published The English Sunrise, an influential and successful book which won several awards. After a two-man exhibition at Fimbarrus Gallery, Bath, in 1961, Rice had a series of solo and shared shows until one of collages at Paperpoint Gallery, 1979, by which time he had returned to the West Country, involving himself in sheep-farming, building conversion and archaeology. The changed environment and his discoveries influenced Rice’s work, and after a lull he began showing again, having solo exhibitions at The David Hall Gallery, South Petherton, and The Meeting House Gallery, Ilminster, both 1995. There were retrospectives at the University of Brighton Gallery and Messum’s, both 2001, and the Arts Centre, Bridport, 2002. Rice’s work is held by Victoria & Albert Museum, Universities of Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Bristol and Lancaster, the British Council and many other public and corporate collections in Britain and abroad. Lived in Hewood, Chard, Somerset.
Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)
