The Talented Mr. Ritchie
Ritch Mulholland tells John Wheelhouse about his art and music

Most of us are probably familiar with Ritch Mullholland. The thirty one year old can regular be seen pushing a trolley about and generally helping keep the Crossgates Shopping Centre spic & span.
But there's a bit more to Ritch than keeping the shopping centre in good nick. People who know him a little better will vouch that he is an extremely talented artist and lead guitarist.

"My Dad was an artist and he encouraged me from a young age. I prefer illustrations more than anything. I've done a few commissions but I'd love to get into album covers, book covers that kind of stuff. I'm working on some canvas stuff with Laura from Tropix Beauty Spa in the Centre. Basically I'm doing the illustration , then she's filling in water colours, then I'm finishing off again in ink. Tropix have agreed to display them in the shop and I'm also hoping to work with their tattooist."

Ritchie also keeps busy with his music and is currently playing in three different bands.
"I've been playing guitar for fifteen years. My influences are in my CD collection, everything from Metallica to Mozart!
I play a kind of second lead in Wolfmoon who are a hard rock band. We're playing live regularly and hoping to record an album next year. I play lead with Mike Quimby's band, we played the Oxjam festival a few months ago at Selby Abbey, a great place to play and a great experience. I also play in a pub/covers band, mainly doing 70's and 80's rock classic's. It started off as a bit of fun more than anything but it helps pay the bills and the variation of all three bands music helps me improve as a musician."

Ritch is pretty much self taught in both art and music. He quit art college after one week of drawing vases of flowers and bowls of fruit and after a brief intro by local guitar teacher and friend Rob Thompson has found his own way musically.
"I've developed my own style artistically, I always over exaggerate features - draw arms and legs out of proportion just for the effect. I like to show normal things in an obscure way. Music's different. Musicians nearly always help each other, I've always said, it's better to be an unemployed musician than an unemployed plumber because basically you can go round to each other house, have a pot of tea and just jam the afternoon away, share ideas and hopefully improve as a musician."

Anyone interested in Ritchie’s
art or music contact him on
07855 884 123