# Richard Friar

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Richard Friar Occupation Artist / horticulturist Style Semi-abstract Abstract expressionism Partner Wendy Harper Website ricfriar.com

**Richard "Ric" Friar** is an English-Australian [big wave surfer](/source/Big_wave_surfing), artist, peace activist, film-maker and [horticulturist](/source/Horticulturist). He is known as a pioneer of commercial [cannabis](/source/Cannabis) ([hemp](/source/Hemp)) cultivation in Australia.

## Big wave surfing

Friar is considered a pioneer of 1960s [big wave surfing](/source/Big_wave_surfing). In 1966, he was among the first to surf the [Cribbar](/source/Cribbar) off [Towan Head](/source/Towan_Head) in the United Kingdom, along with Peter Russell, John McIlroy and American Jack Lydgate, during that year's *Great September Swell*.[1] In 2013, Friar contacted locals in Newquay with plans to reunite the group of 1966 Cribbar surfers for the 2016 unveiling of a monument and a "celebration of British surfing" event. He has also announced his and his partner, Wendy Harper's, plans to establish the "International Surfing Pilgrim's Trail" and a *"global sustainability project"* called 1GiantWave.[2]

## Horticulture

In the early 1990s, Friar was humorously dubbed the "King of Poo" by the [Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)'s quirky *[Column 8](/source/Column_8)* for his disposal of manure for the [Agricultural Society](/source/Royal_Agricultural_Society_of_New_South_Wales) at the [Sydney Royal Easter Show](/source/Sydney_Royal_Easter_Show). He continued to pioneer the use of worms, [mulch](/source/Mulch) and [manure](/source/Manure) in horticulture and established a business selling related products.[3]

In 2009, Friar received permission from the [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) [Department of Primary Industries](/source/Department_of_Primary_Industries_(New_South_Wales)) for a pilot program to study the potential commercialisation of [hemp](/source/Hemp). Friar cultivated 500 cannabis plants and suggested potential applications in the "textile and construction industries".[4] The pilot would also allow consideration of applications including automotive [fibreglass](/source/Fibreglass), paper and [biofuel](/source/Biofuel).[5] Friar said Government fears about [psychoactive](/source/Psychoactive_drug) cannabis had put a stop to what had once been among the world's largest crops.[5]

## Film making and art

Having semi-retired, Friar and partner Wendy Harper have produced a number of short films about their commercial endeavours and general interests. In 2007, they produced an hour-long documentary about the [anti-war movement](/source/Anti-war_movement) in Australia and parallels between it and the [Australian Aboriginal](/source/Aboriginal_Australians) [indigenous rights](/source/Indigenous_rights) movement. Called *Think About It!*, the documentary starred indigenous actor [David Gulpilil](/source/David_Gulpilil) and included commentary from former Prime Minister, [Malcolm Fraser](/source/Malcolm_Fraser), former [Greens](/source/Australian_Greens) leader, [Bob Brown](/source/Bob_Brown), and Terry Hicks, father of [Guantanamo Bay detainee](/source/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp) [David Hicks](/source/David_Hicks).[6][7] In 2009, Friar produced a short film detailing the social aspects of railway history in Western New South Wales.[8]

In 2011, Friar and Harper collaborated with two-time [Wynne Prize](/source/Wynne_Prize) winner [Ian Bettinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ian_Bettinson&action=edit&redlink=1) to create a series of semi-[abstract artworks](/source/Abstract_art) and poetry.[9] Over three weeks, the artists jointly created 30 works of art that were subsequently featured at the live exhibition version of [Grand Designs Australia](/source/Grand_Designs_Australia).[10] The paintings were displayed with corresponding poetic works written by Harper.[11]

Friar is known for using [wood ash](/source/Wood_ash) and other unusual [artistic mediums](/source/Artistic_medium) as well as bark, leaves and grass in place of paint brushes.[12] Also in 2011, Friar controversially used the ashes from his son's [cremation](/source/Cremation) to create a series of artworks as a tribute.[13] He now produces similar artworks for others.[14]

## See also

- [Cannabis in Australia](/source/Cannabis_in_Australia)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [*The Surfing Tribe: A History of Surfing in Britain*](https://books.google.com/books?id=QRtkPgAACAAJ&) by Roger Mansfield (Orca Publications, 2009)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *I took a taxi ride from death!* by Warren Wilkins ([Newquay Voice](/source/Newquay_Voice), 6 March 2013)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Column 8*](http://www.smh.com.au/news/column-8/column-8/2007/11/08/1194329409128.html) ([Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald), 9 November 2007)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Weed is good – hemp comes to the city*](http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weed-is-good--hemp-comes-to-the-city-20100201-n8v2.html) by Tim Elliott ([Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald), 2 February 2010)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tele_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tele_5-1) [*Sydney gets its first hemp farm*](http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sydney-gets-its-first-hemp-farm/story-e6frez7r-1225825730822) by Joe Hildebrand ([The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph_(Sydney)), 2 February 2010)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Joining the dots along the chain of war*](http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/joining-the-dots-along-the-chain-of-war/2007/07/13/1183833772817.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1) by Steve Burrell ([Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald), 14 July 2007)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [*Gulpilil says give peace a chance*](http://www.echonews.com.au/news/13112-gulpilil-says-give-peace-a-chance/679757/) (Northern Rivers Echo, 16 February 2007)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [*Romance and rail*](http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/06/01/2583403.htm) by Justin Huntsdale ([ABC News](/source/ABC_News_(Australia)), 11 June 2009)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [*Partnership's magic for northern beaches*](http://origin.manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/partnerships-magic/)[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] by Andrew Priestley ([Manly Daily](/source/Manly_Daily), 5 September 2011)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [*Grand Designs on beaches artists*](http://origin.manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/grand-designs-on-artists/)[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] by Andrew Priestley ([Manly Daily](/source/Manly_Daily), 14 October 2011)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [*Thirty paintings in three weeks: new friends jam together*](http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/thirty-paintings-in-three-weeks-new-friends-jam-together-20110924-1kqhc.html) by Sarah Whyte ([Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald), 25 September 2011)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [*Burnt offerings make the art blossom*](http://mosman-daily.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/burnt-offerings-make-the-art-blossom/) by Emma Page (Mosman Daily, 2 December 2011)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [*Grieving dad turned son's ashes into art*](http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/grieving-dad-turned-sons-ashes-into-art/) by Carleen Frost ([Manly Daily](/source/Manly_Daily), 7 January 2011)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [*Ash Artist Richard Friar*](http://www.chromaonline.com/paint_talk/ash_artist_richard_friar) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034752/http://www.chromaonline.com/paint_talk/ash_artist_richard_friar) 4 March 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (Chroma Paint Talk, 7 June 2011)

v t e Cannabis in Australia By location Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Hunter Valley cannabis infestation Nimbin, New South Wales Victoria Organisations Australian Marijuana Party Australian National Task Force on Cannabis Legalise Cannabis Australia MardiGrass National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre People Politicians Schapelle Corby Richard Friar Donald Mackay Nick Paltos Fiona Patten Reg Spiers Robert Trimbole Works The Crop Ganja Queen Stoner Sloth Category

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