On an invitation by the Luqa Local Council, Richard J. Caruana is presenting a retrospective exhibition of his paintings, mainly in watercolours and acrylic at the Main Hall of the Luqa Local Council Civic Centre, 147 New Street, Luqa, between 10 and 16 June 2026.
He is best known for his technical colour illustrations which together with scale plans of the highest standard have been regularly published in aviation publications since 1969. He started his career working for Italian publishers, including Ermanno Albertelli Editore and Delta Editrice of Parma, Stem. Mucchi of Modena, Edizioni Bizzarri (Dell'Ateneo) of Rome and Giorgio Apostolo Editore of Milan.
In 1976 his work began to appear in Britain, namely in 'Air International', 'Air Enthusiast' and 'RAF Yearbook', edited by William Green and Gordon Swanborough. This was soon followed by other work for Alan Hall Publications in Aviation News. Between 1984 and 1991 he was Art Editor of the monthly 'Modelaid International', later known as 'Air Forces International'. Between 1995 and 2005 he contributed monthly articles with colour illustrations and scale plans to 'Scale Aviation Modeller International' and 'Model Aircraft Monthly' (UK). For the following ten years he contributed monthy to ADH Publishing's 'Model Airplane International', 'Tamiya Model Magazine International' and 'Radio Control Model Flyer'. His work appeared in 'Ali in Miniatura' and 'Aerofan' (Italy), 'Model Expert' and 'Historia' (Greece) and 'Flug Revue' (Germany). Other publishers include Osprey Publications, Warpaint Publications, Hikoki/Crecy Publications and Dalrymple & Verdun (UK), Isradecals Publications (Israel), IBN /Aviolibri (Italy), Deyseg (Argentina), and Malta Flypast (Malta). At present he contributes regularly to Valiant Wings Publishing (UK).
With over thirty books as author and illustrator, his best know work is 'Malta George Cross, Victory in the Air', a best-seller in its genre with three reprints. Five years ago he launched a series of books, a collection of his best works spanning his 50 years of activity. Published by Wydawnictwo Stratus sp.j. (Poland), they appear in two parallel series: 'Fighting Colours' and 'Flying Colours'.
A small circle of aviation enthusiasts know him for his aircraft portraits or action paintings. These mainly end up in private collections and aviation museums throughout the world and some have been produced as book covers or boxtops for model kits. A set of four of his paintings were reproduced as limited edition prints for Fores Gallery of London. Another special commemorative hand-coloured print was commissioned by Air Malta. He participated in one-man exhibitions at the National Museum of Fine Arts (1980, 1992) and the National War Museum in Malta (1980), together with collective exhibitions in England, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Washington in the United States.
Richard J. Caruana is an honorary member of No. 203 Squadron Royal Air Force.
Britain's best known aviation historian and publisher had this to say about the artist:"Aviation art is an art within an art; its successful practitioner must be endowed with the eye of the aesthete and perception for technical detail; he must possess the ability to combine realism with a sufficiency of impressionism in a composition both aesthetically pleasing and technically accurate. Above all, he must have a deep feeling for and an abiding knowledge of his subject. Today, there are comparatively few artists that may boast all these qualities, but one such is Richard J. Caruana." (William Green, Managing Editor Air Enthusiast and Air International, UK)
Viewing hours are: Weekdays 9am-12pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am-12pm