Local Artists Renew Gift to Protect “The View”

Twenty years ago local artists Camden Whitehead and Matthew Robins were invited to show their work in London in the exhibit “The View”. They were invited to Richmond upon Thames to see the bend in the Thames River from Richmond Hill from which many people have associated with the “View that Named Richmond” due to similarities to the bend in the James River as seen from Libby Hill.

The exhibition in England was organized to commemorate the centenary of an act of Parliament that protects the view of the Thames seen from Richmond Hill. Proceeds from the sale of artwork benefited the £8.3 million London’s Arcadia project. The project to restore, open and enhance the view and manage all aspects of the river environment for both people and wildlife was the first implementation of the Thames Landscape Strategy.

The Thames from Richmond Hill (2002) by Camden Whitehead

To commemorate the participation of two American artists, and in honor of the special relationship established through the Sister Cities Commission since 1991, the organizers invited Whitehead and Robins to produce companion paintings from Libby Hill. In total four paintings were sold to benefit the Thames Landscape Strategy.  

Today, Whitehead and Robins have donated to Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) a limited edition of four color prints produced by Worth Higgins & Associates on archival paper (sheet size 16 1/2 x 22 in.), signed by the artists. They hope that this gift will facilitate financial contributions in support of CRLC’s acquisition and protection of the Dock Street property.

“We hope these prints will continue to inspire appreciation for our living heritage and the ‘view that named Richmond’” said artist Camden Whitehead.

James River, morning (2002) by Matthew Todd Robins

 In 2021 after decades of civic and non-profit groups working to preserve “the view that named Richmond,” The Conservation Fund, the James River Association and the Capital Region Land Conservancy joined forces to purchase the 5.2 acre Dock Street parcel for $5.2 million. More than 4 acres of this property will be donated to the City of Richmond Parks and Recreation after a conservation easement is recorded to protect the view, preserve public access as a park in perpetuity, and enhance water quality of the James River. The project will also allow for the Virginia Capital Trail to be completed along Dock Street at Great Shiplock Park and connect the east riverfront as was contemplated in the Richmond Riverfront Plan.

The Thames at Richmond, evening (2002) by Matthew Todd Robins

Contributors to CRLC who designate their gifts of $1,000 or $2,000 or more toward the Dock Street project will receive a set of prints by Whitehead or Robins respectively. Any amount will help CRLC meet a $250,000 challenge grant from The Cabell Foundation where every donation is matched dollar-for-dollar. Please help The Capital Region Land Conservancy close the gap on raising the funds.

#                                  #                                  #

 About Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC):  Incorporated in March 2005 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, CRLC seeks to conserve and protect the natural and historic land and water resources of Virginia’s Capital Region for the benefit of current and future generations. Visit www.capitalregionland.org  to learn more about CRLC’s land conservation programs.