Eyes on Drenewydd

WINTER DAWN - 25x30cm - acrylic oncanvas - £80

2012-02-10T14:56:00.000Z

This painting started life from an idea in a painting book and then got scraped back to its bare bones. From then on it took on a life of its own. Although I haven't actual been to this imaginary place, I have been there in essence for all the elements of the painting are known to me very well but not in this one place.
One thing I do like to do in my work every so often is to scratch back to previous layers, more often than not real jems are revealed.
I look at this scene and know that it is quiet, serene, still, full with natural sounds, cold yet not unpleasant ... but why.

CRICCIETH sunset - acrylics on canvas - 50x20cm - £80

2012-02-02T13:46:00.000Z

Criccieth is almost at the end of the line from Birmingham to Pwllheli and so has been a well known holiday destination for many from the Midlands. It is definitely a place to investigate otherwise a great deal might be missed.
I have started using a ground of gesso or equivalent mixed with Polyfilla to add some interest to the surface and am really enjoying the experiment.
Last week I was given the offer of displaying my paintings at our local Italian Restuarant.

SNOWDONIA from PORTHMADOG - oil on canvas - 20"x16" - £180

2012-01-31T12:22:00.000Z

I'm posting this at this stage - possibly unfinished. This is not the final idea in my head, but i am loving it along the way, and may stop at this point. I want to add very sensitively the glow of the setting summer sun coming from the left. Already I know this will be a difficult act. So, for now it will sit like this in its finished/unfinished state.

PORTHGAIN Pembrokeshire Wales - 20"x16" oil on canvas £180

2012-01-25T15:29:00.000Z

In the 1800's Porthgain (Gain in Welsh means 'fine' ... so maybe 'fine port or harbour) was known for a number of industries, mainly slate and brick. The harbour, breakwater and piers from 1851 had a horse drawn tramway from the slate quarry at near by Abereiddy. Later, a narrow gauge railway but that was closed along with the road. The now picturesque harbour was once home to the hard-working quarry men. A few cottages can still be seen.
If you are near by make sure to take a trip to the 'blue lagoon'. Why not sample the yummy 'fish & chips' from various venue round about ... you won't be disappointed!

Many artists have techniques for checking composition and tonal qualities.
Here are a few that I employ, both in the daytime and at night:
Jump out of a doorway - look as if it the first time you have seen the picture.
Look at the painting over your shoulder through a mirror.
First thing in the morning get a 'quick response impression'
Turn the work upside down, on its side.
The famous 'squint' technique is good.
Look from various distances ... far & near.
Photograph in black and white ... or make digital changes to see the effects.
Remember: if it works in black & white ... it probably works!

MAWDDACH ESTUARY (Fairbourne/Barmouth) - oil on canvas - 50x20cm - £80

2012-01-20T12:45:00.000Z

This beautiful estuary in North Wales straddles estuary between the two holiday towns of Fairbourne & Barmouth. This has been over many years a very popular holiday destination for people from Birmingham and Manchester. Its little streets were not really meant to take such volumes of traffic ... so ... go out of season and enjoy the splendour of this place, the wildness of its weather and the backdrop of the Snowdownia range.
We have arrived by car or train then walked along a fine pathway after having toileted & coffee-ed. Then crossed the railway bridge, a wonderful childhood memory for many, arriving at the town of Barmouth. After a short stay we were able to take a very small ferry across the estuary, back to our car. Nice, very, very, very windy day!

WE HAVE HAD 'WEATHER' this week - our first taste of winter!

2012-01-15T14:40:00.000Z

Inspired by Tredraith West Wales - acrylic on canvas - frame - 41x51cm - £180

2012-01-15T14:21:00.000Z

Tredraith is a lovely little village not far from the port of Wg in West Wales from which many people join the ferry to Ireland ... it is also known at Fishguard.
Tredraith has a wonderful silhouette from the beach as the sun is going down. I may do another painting at some time of the actual setup. I added the outcrops of rock as a way of moving the eye toward the imagined sunset. This area does flood as the sea comes in but I have never been there at the time ... I have only seen sand.
It is hard to believe that is really a 'blue' picture yet it looks so colour full.

Painting Light in Oils

2012-01-12T11:02:00.000Z

This is my new Christmas / birthday present. I will be squeezing all the goodness out of this over the next few weeks. A very refreshing book, simple & advanced with some interesting ideas on priming the painting surface. I will be studying the photos with a magnifying glass for a few weeks and then no doubt going again over other books in my collection to make comparisons. I am already making connections with other artists like Trevor Chamberlain, Alwyn Crawshaw & Kevin McPherson(? ... I think that's correct). I am particularly enjoying the looseness of the brushwork and the closeness of the colour. What a feast I will be enjoying.

What are your favourite books? ... let me know.

FIRST of 2012 - ABERAERON - acrylic on canvas 70x50cm - £200 (+P&P)

2012-01-03T15:41:00.000Z

My first painting for 2012 has been as struggle, but great fun and challenge. It started out as a bright orange colour scheme but every change I made turned into a complete repaint. I changed the colour emphasis and all the colour values came into place (value = the colour value compared to a black & white scale, the darkness & lightness compared). I wanted the feeling of brightness and darkness together. This is quite common in coastal places, where storm and sun are often friends together ... full sunshine and dark, dark clouds as a backdrop.
I may well return to this a do a number of different experiments. The composition is useful with its lead in together with the foreground, middle ground and distance, nicely separated.

We would love to be living here before too long .... please!

WAGONS ROLL!!

2012-01-02T09:42:00.000Z

It's good to be back touching the brushes again. How quickly we forget how to hold them. How soon the medium becomes a stranger. BUT WE ARE BACK ... the wagons are rolling once again. Just the years self assessment tax return to do and we can breath again.

BBC = Beer Bell Carols

2011-12-20T14:42:00.001Z

Last evening it was time for something different and very welcome - a drink!

Before this the church choir of All Saints & Llanllwchaiarn had been to an old folks home with its hot and dry atmosphere but with the bonus of a chance to speak Welsh ... great.
Then on to the Bell (opposite All Saints where another carol event was going on).
We had a good time singing to anyone who was around at the time.

Last Sunday we sang outside our local supermarket for quite a long time with the added extra of hand-bell ringers (the group is still in the midst of formation) and a brass group - 4 young children and a few adults - they were amazing.

Today it is off to the local hospital to sing to a few folks there along with the brass band again.

WELSH LEARNERS PLYGAIN - Y DRENEWYDD

2011-12-15T09:28:00.000Z

Yes - another Plygain service but this time one for 'Welsh Learners'.
Yet they came from far and wide to join in this celebration of Christmas using the old carols. Some had not got home the night before until two in the morning, being greeted by snow on the mountains. There is such generosity among these groups. After the learners had been given first spot by a little word in the ear to the other groups we were able to relax knowing that we were safe to sing our second song in the second half also. The reason being is that no one knows who will sing, for there is no order or what song they will sing either. If a song is sang once it will not be repeated in the rest of the evening, hence the vast collection of song held at the ready by these singers and groups.
At this time of year until the end of January there are lots of plygain services each week and they will all be well attended. Long may they continue.

ANOTHER PLYGAIN ... what a treat!

2011-12-14T10:13:00.000Z

The tiny outside turned out to be a big surprise. The inside was much bigger and filled with plygain groups from far and wide, from near Aberystwyth to Wrexham, Oswestry and Welshpool. Groups, two's, three's, ten and more with a soloist thrown in for good measure. Professor and farmers all coming together to sing to the glory of God in words from the Old & New Testaments. These are not shows of wonderful costume or the prima donna. The clothes are ordinary, sometimes even dull, for these are sometimes old farmers, not concerned with such things. They are smart in their own way, not modern! There is no clapping or cheering or pointless wolf whistles. This is not the place of the long gaps and the inevitable 'AND THE WINNER IS!!!!!! ......'. They come - do there bit - and sit down. Some groups will be ever so slightly 'out of tune' ... but no one will mention it, while others will be so close in harmony as to send a shiver down the spine.
Well - once again I got to sing the 'Carol y Swper' - The Supper Carol then a quick practice with the wonderful Rhiannon Ifan (author and a scholar from the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies) before being invited to eat a real treat of a very late supper - for the time was now about half past ten or close to eleven at night. Well WHAT NEXT?

PARTI CUT LLOI

2011-12-10T21:53:00.000Z

Last night I was able to fulfil an ambition ... to be able to sing with a proper Plygain group.
PARTI CUT LLOI (I think 'Little Calf Shed' ... or something similar in Welsh) is a local group of men under the wonderful leading of Sian James.
We heard at Kerry Church a full range of songs from Plygain to solo singing and penyllion. The penillion is a traditional form of Welsh singing poetry, accompanied by the harp, in which the singer and harpist follow different melodies so the stressed syllables of the poem coincide with accented beats of the harp melody. Sian finished, singing with the harp, showing another Welsh tradition, that of seeing who can sing the fastest, usually in a song about goats. Goats of all shapes, sizes and every colour under the sun. I didn't know so many words could fit in so small a space.
At the end of the concert the men were invited to come to the front to join in the 'The Supper Carol'. Although this is often traditionally followed by a supper, the carol is looking forward to not to Jesus' first coming but to His second coming, the start of the wedding supper.
I was able to share and sing with the deep deep bass on the left of the picture. Oh, it was good ... I want more!

TO TWO GOOD HOMES

2011-12-05T15:55:00.000Z

Once again I have to find new paintings for our wall as two pieces of work find new homes, one in Drenewydd the other in the hills above Cwmbran. Goodbye dear friends.

MILFORD ROAD - Drenewydd - oil on canvas - framed

2011-11-30T14:44:00.000Z

THE PHONE RANG ....

2011-11-28T16:08:00.000Z

The phone rang, 'This is Theatr Hafren', 'Don't forget to collect your cheque - you won second prize'. This is particularly exciting as it is the third time I have won a prize at the 'Open in Drenewydd'. I am quite glad I wasn't able to go to the prize giving, the shock would have been too much.BUT! ... how encouraging is that. It took the judges two hours to decide on the winners from the 75 entries.

FLIP BOOK - ARTIST in WALES

2011-11-23T15:04:00.000Z

A new venture into the world of the unknown.
http://www.pageflip-flap.com/read?r=KwC0H3r0x57ctHAgB

Click this link and flip over the pages of 'ARTIST in WALES'.

THEATR HAFREN 'OPEN 2011'

2011-11-21T15:56:00.000Z

Sorry about the bad cropping.
These are the two smallish painting I have put into this years 'OPEN 2011 - Theatr Hafren' Christmas Exhibition here in Drenewydd. This year they have added a restriction under the theme 'REVELATION'. I personally don't enjoy having themed exhibition but I have been able to tweak the titles a little.
So far since living in Drenewydd I have been fortunate to win both first and second prize in this exhibition ... so my hopes for this year are not too high. I think I need to win a prize that supplies me with a life times painting materials ... they do exist out there.

BETSAN painting - probably 'THE END'

2011-11-20T15:34:00.002Z

Well I think that is it. Days 4,5 & 6 have actually come up on the screen, to my great delight. If you notice, the fish have gone to sea, the mountains have changed, roofs,buildings have changed drastically or in a more subtle way. Waves added, people added, windows modified. NOW, I think that is enough.
If you want to change more ... move to Aberaeron and see it for yourself.

PAINTING FOR BETSAN - days 1-3

2011-11-16T15:22:00.015Z

I'm going to be very brave and chart the progress of a large painting 28" x 36" on canvas. It is a very free painting and has to be attacked in bursts of free uncontrolled vigour. I am trying to also add texture as I go along. This is fairly new to me as.
Here are days 1-3
(Even though I have been able to get the photos to show they are appearing in unedited format).

ARE WE WORKING YET?

2011-11-15T10:23:00.002Z

There should be picture of a canal here.
Blogger / Picasa seem to be having a lot of trouble recently with something. There are no posted solutions ... just a lot of frustration. No one seems to be talking to us.

Well, this is clearly NOT a picture of the canal, but it does seem to be a way of getting photos onto the blog.

SORRY FOLKS - BIG PROBLEMS

2011-11-12T11:56:00.002Z

Recently I have been having big problems with BLOGGER and PICASA each saying I don't have an account. Now they say that the browser I have been using for years is not supported by them. I may move to WORDPRESS and start all over again.
I haven't given up yet but it does seem that every time a program gets updated it comes with complications and problems.

A LITTLE BIT OF FUN! - Welsh houses by the sea - (sorry TEXT is not working on Blogger) oil/acrylic on canvas

2011-11-04T13:28:00.003Z

WE HAVE BEEN DECORATING.

2011-10-16T18:56:00.001+01:00

This is me pretending to do my Welsh homework in our newly decorated lounge. At last we have a plain carpet and a colourful bedroom. The Welsh homework turned out to be much harder than when I was pretending to do it.
Shooting out of my head is an Amarylis. All over the house and garden we have both Autumn & Spring flowers side by side. During the day we have 'sun screen' light and at night frost. What an interesting time we are having!

MI AETHON NI I ABERYSTWYTH DDOE - FENDIGEDIG!!

2011-10-02T16:37:00.002+01:00

(MI AETHON NI I ABERYSTWYTH DDOE) Yesterday we went to Aberystwyth on the West Coast of Wales - halfway up from the bottom on the map.
We are just coming to the end of an exceptional spell of late season 'wall to wall' sunshine, breaking records. In England it is called 'an Indian summer' ... but when we have good weather at the end of September in Wales it is called ‘haf bach mihangel’ – Michael’s Little Summer – St. Michael’s Day being on 29 September.
Along with others I think back just a few weeks ago when I was wearing a thermal vest under a tee shirt at a church service just to stave off the cold.
Aberystwyth is a an interesting place, once neglected but now along with many Welsh seaside towns, coming back to life.
We sat on the beautiful green grass of the castle mount (reaching way back into Welsh history) watching seagulls the size of dinosaurs. But our eyes were peeled looking for whales, porpoise and dolphin. None - not one - even too hot for them!

ANOTHER iPiccy RECONSTRUCTION

2011-09-30T20:55:00.002+01:00

Just another bit of fun with an image adjusted using iPiccy.com .... great for a quick card or poster.

USEFUL FREE EDITOR

2011-09-29T14:48:00.001+01:00

This simple image was edited using iPiccy.com a free service with some really good features for this type of service. Easy to use.

Thanks to DIBLEY'S of RUTHIN.

2011-09-26T16:28:00.000+01:00

Many thanks to Dibley's for identifying it as .....
Streptocarpella

Streptocarpella species and hybrids: These are the streptocarpus with small leaves on an obvious stem, as opposed to the rosette types described above. A minimum temperature of 10C (50F) is required. Propagation is by shoot cuttings (about 6cm long) taken at any time of the year.

Blue Moon (2408)

Price: £2.80 (€3.36)

A stemmed Streptocarpus with an upright habit. The cornflower blue flowers are the largest yet amongst the stemmed Streptocarpus, being over 3 cm wide. A freely branching variety forming a rounded plant with many flowers.

DOES ANYONE RECOGNISE THIS PLANT?

2011-09-22T09:18:00.001+01:00

We have been growing this beautiful plant from a tiny cutting but haven't got a clue as to its name ... any ideas are 'probably' welcome ... IT IS NOT GEORGE or HARRY.

WE HAVE 'WEATHER' IN WALES!

2011-09-07T11:10:00.001+01:00

Don't listen to people who say 'IT ALWAYS RAINS IN WALES' ---- wrong! If you like things that change rather than guaranteed ONE KIND of weather then maybe this is the place for you.

Y DRENEWYDD from Cambrian Bridge - acyrlic on canvas 25x30cm framed - SOLD

2011-09-06T16:28:00.002+01:00

Classic view of Drenewydd from the main bridge over the River Severn, which runs through it middle.

Here I have experimented with glazes to build up layers of colour with an aim to harmonising a busy skyline.

OXFORD - early spring after a shower - oil / acrylic on canvas - SOLD

2011-09-02T12:18:00.001+01:00

This painting is on its way to South Africa soon.

This was a challenge. I find all commissions hard to handle because they impose restrictions through time, expectations etc. Under the top layer are many many tight attempts.
Yet again I got to the point of just scrubbing it down when suddenly an idea came into my head of how I wanted it to be. As the rag removed layers of pain and struggle, an image, a clue, started to grow that I could relate to. Immediately the battle began to turn in my favour. I found the freedom that was needed.

TENBY (WALES) acrylic on canvas 25x30cm - framed £60

2011-08-31T12:00:00.001+01:00

The beautiful and unusual seaside town of Tenby has various claims to fame but, best of all, it is the way to get across to the Abbey at Caldey. Make sure you make time to go across if ever you are near .... better still, see whether you can stay on the island for a few days. The atmosphere is great, the building is very special and the men stay there are wonderful characters.

MAWDDACH Estuary between Fairbourne & Barmouth (North Wales)

2011-08-29T19:32:00.001+01:00

The Mawddach rises from Lake Bala and its mouth (Aber in Welsh) lies between Fairbourne & Barmouth. From the vantage point between the two towns a great spread of North Wales opens out. Turn around and distant views of Snowdonia - the Llyn Peninsula - Anglesey and the Sacred isle of Bardsey appear through veils of cloud & sunshine.
Don't go at Bank holiday time if that's possible and breathe the air free from 'fish & chips - hotdogs - candy floss' etc.

HARBOUR MASTER - ABERAERON - acrylic on canvas 25x30cm - framed - £60

2011-08-29T17:51:00.001+01:00

South of Aberystwyth lies the beautiful village/town of ABERAERON, one of Wales few and certainly earliest 'planned town'. The streets are laid out on a grid system. But, it is not the grid that gives the charm, it is the row & terraces of coloured houses. Aberaeron is a lively place at any time of the year. It is an often painted place especially the iconic 'Harbour Master' right on the harbour quay.

MWNT CHURCH (back view) acrylic on canvas 25x30cm - framed - £60 +P&P

2011-08-26T19:52:00.001+01:00

Third in the series of this wonderful church on the West Wales coastal path.

Each of the three paintings has been done using just three colours = Paynes Grey (the blue) Raw Sienna (the yellow) Burnt Sienna (the red). This is such a good discipline. This palette is often known as the 'Old Masters'. I could happily paint with it for a long time.

PEN Y FAN

2011-08-25T16:52:00.001+01:00

Iconic shape in the centre of the Brecon Beacons. If your a climber, you know it well. If not you may well be missing a treat. This area is a geologists paradise.

WE HAVE DRIVEN PAST MANY TIMES!

2011-08-25T15:09:00.001+01:00

How many times have we driven past a little village in the Brecon Beacons and thought 'Why have they put a visitor centre on that side of the road when the wonderful Brecon Beacons are on the other side? Well, next time you drive through LIBANUS follow the brown sign for 1 mile up a fairly narrow road until you reach the centre and find out for yourself. IT IS GREAT. We are planning to go back just for a day trip. It has tea rooms, toilets, endless walks and outstanding, ever changing views.

POCHADE PAINTERS this is the place for you, uncluttered, unspoiled views across to Abergavenny, Pen Y Fan and much more.

I REMOVED THE GARAGE!

2011-08-25T14:50:00.001+01:00

This is a second painting of the wonderfully evocative church above the beach of Mwnt, west Wales. This time I decided to demolish the modern garage at the side and reinvent some of the surroundings to create more atmosphere. I hope it works .... it may change slightly before I sign it.

CHURCH at MWNT (West Wales) - acrylic on canvas 20x35cm - framed - £60 +P&P

2011-08-18T18:59:00.001+01:00

This beautiful church, 'The Church of the Holy Cross' - [Eglwys y Grog] has sat on this cliff edge field since the 14Century. It has a 12Century font showing that the whole area dates back to the 'Age of the Saints' here in West Wales, the time of its patron, Saint David, plus many more.

STRATA FLORIDA

2011-08-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

LLANFAIR CLYDOGAU

2011-08-13T16:18:00.001+01:00

If you are travelling to Wales and want a fairly secluded place to stay this may well suit you. It is within driving distance of many places ... though sometimes down narrow lanes. Within reach of the West Wales coast - Aberaeron, New Quay ... towns & villages galore, Tregaron, Lampeter, Carmarthen, Cardigan and so much more. The area is filled with interesting places to find GOLD, cheese, special ice cream, Roman remains, churches modern and Celtic and that's for starters.

LLANFAIR CLYDOGAU

2011-08-13T10:23:00.001+01:00

There are many working farms in Wales that are open for visitors to stay. Often in quite remote places with maybe sounds that are new to many people from the city. Bats, pheasants, foxes, badgers, RED KITES and buzzards become almost commonplace. The Red Kite is one of Wales proudest achievements, once almost wiped out, now in great health. It is unlikely that you will travel through Wales without seeing this beautiful bird of prey.

THE WELSH ARE GENERALLY QUITE SHORT.

2011-08-13T10:15:00.001+01:00

As a race of people the Welsh are not generally very tall.

SO MANY KINDS!

2011-08-13T10:04:00.001+01:00

What a great opportunity to study sheep. We went along to one of the many small country shows held throughout Wales during August. It is not often you get a chance to stand close to a sheep with a sketch book and get a really close view. They are not easy creatures to understand visually. They seem to be a mixture of many animals. Some breeds are just 'pretty' others look like tough thugs. The show was inland near Tregaron / Lampeter at the lovely village of Llandewi Brefi, made famous by the cast of 'Little Britain' some years ago.

I thought I was all alone!

2011-08-12T17:49:00.002+01:00

There I was minding my own business in the garden ALL BY MYSELF when I had the strange feeling I was not alone, in fact, that my every move was being watched.

RIGHT ON TIME

2011-08-12T17:45:00.001+01:00

Right on time - August .... the robin returns. Hello old friend already watching my every move.

WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE DONE? - what did they do!

2011-07-27T11:31:00.001+01:00

At last I have been able to make a start on my next painting. A quick walk into town to catch where I thought the shadows might be at that time of day ... great! I took lots of shots from many angles plus detail shots of doors, gates, windows and benches. Then using a free photo editor cropped, adjusted and added an effect to get rid of most of the detail.

Now - is this cheating? Would earlier artists have used this software. The answer is a resounding YES. Leonardo was using lenses to obtain perspective, Degas was certainly aware of photography. Later many artists such as David Hockney used his mobile phone as a starting point.

So whatever helps YOU use it ... remember they once said that computers wouldn't take on as an idea, acrylic paint and the car.

BEING VERY WELSH - non stop

2011-07-05T21:04:00.001+01:00

Perhaps a suitable sub-title to this blog might be 'I SHALL GO TO THE EASEL AGAIN' in the genre of Cinderella. But for the time being we are being VERY WELSH.

This week we are on a week long Welsh summer school in the wonderful setting of Dolgellau. Next week we are at a Summer school in Drenewydd. At the end of these we begin two day long sessions, being trained in the art of PLYGAIN singing. Not long after that we are off to the great EISTEDDFOD in Wrexham.

By the end of this we will be well and truly soaked in Welsh language and culture.

AND THEN .... off to the easel once again 'gobeithio' as we say in Wales.

GIVEN AN EXTRA WEEK

2011-06-26T16:03:00.001+01:00

The flower festival as part of LLANfest turned out to be such a crowd puller that it was extended for an extra week. This took place at the 'A' part of the word LLAN (an ancient religious settlement) ... the A is the Church at Aberhafesp, just 3 miles out of Drenewydd.

LLANfest 2011 - Y Drenewydd

2011-06-14T12:01:00.001+01:00

'How's the painting going?' they ask!
Well for the last month or so many of us have been getting this, that and the other ready for LLANfest, a week of Christian celebration for the local churches of Llanllwcaiairn - Aberhafesp - Newtown .... LL A N (means church in Welsh) ... so Church Festival.
My bit of the jigsaw has been mainly to do with publicity along with others in the team. But there are many other groups involved in 'Feeding - presenting - feeding 50+ students from day til' night - services - flower festival - men's evening / women's evening - feeding students - chip suppers - an evening at the bowling alley, a night with Garin Jenkins (multiple capped Rugby star) - feeding students and did I mention 'food for students'. The students - one group from Birmingham RSPA - Riverside School of Performing Arts have been putting on presentations in local schools and at the carnival. The other, large group, is from Aberystwyth. They have been cleaning toilets, setting up, pulling down, litter picking and lots more .... all the time sharing their faith in Jesus. GR8T!!!!!

HEDD WYN

2011-06-06T10:17:00.001+01:00

On our way to Tremadog we stopped off at the old farm house, the old family home of the man known in Wales as HEDD WYN ... 'Blessed Peace' in English. We were given a very interesting talk by a relation of the Evans family, still living and working on the farm in this most spectacular, wild and remote part of Wales.

Ellis Humphrey Evans was born on 13 January 1887 in Pen Lan, a house in the middle of Trawsfynydd, Meirionydd, North Wales. He was the eldest of eleven children born to Evan and Mary Evans. In the spring of 1887 the family moved to the isolated hill-farm of Yr Ysgwrn, a few miles from Trawsfynydd.

Ellis Evans received a basic education at elementary and Sunday school. He left school at fourteen and began work as a shepherd on his father’s farm. He had not been a particularly brilliant student but he had a natural gift for poetry. He had already composed his first poems by the age of eleven.

He took part in eisteddfodau from the age of 19 and won his first chair at Bala in 1907. In 1910 he took the bardic name Hedd Wyn, Welsh for "blessed peace", a reference to the sun’s rays penetrating the mists in the valleys of Meirionydd. Hedd Wyn's main influence was the Romantic poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley and themes of nature and religion dominated his work. In 1913 he won the chairs at Pwllheli and Llanuwchllyn and in 1915 he was successful at Pontardawe and Llanuwchllyn. The same year he wrote his first poem for the National Eisteddfod of Wales—Eryri, an ode to Snowdon. In 1916 he took second place at the Aberystwyth National Eisteddfod with Ystrad Fflur ("Strata Florida"), an awdl written in honour of the medieval Cistercian abbey ruins in Ceredigion. He determined to win the National Eisteddfodd chair the following year. [taken from Wiki]

THIS IS WALES - EVER CHANGING!

2011-06-06T09:44:00.001+01:00

The beauty of Wales is that it hard to tie it down. It isn't THIS or THAT, it is many things, has many faces, many facets, so many different moods. Just two days away gave us flat meadows, grey slate, lush woodlands, wild waves, dolphins, deep heavy clouds, pink sunsets and Mediterranean illusions.

Some of the strong colourful images shown here come from Portmeirion in North Wales. It is the creation of the architect Clough Williams-Ellis who changed the name of the secluded port of Aber Ia (Ia is cold, as in ice-cream) to Portmeirion to reflect the name of the County of Merioneth.

Having the wooded bay at his disposal, Clough started to collect things, a fireplace, a column or two, statues from here, there and almost everywhere. From this store he began to put together creations with no coherent style in the conventional sense. Buildings are not what they first seem. The grand frontage of places showing the grandeur of Italy are often false, single story accommodation with a double story front. Look even closer and what seemed like arches and columns are painted on, open windows ... painted illusion. What seems like a genuine Italy façade is in fact a fireplace from the north of England, the columns being found in a farm covered in years of manure and who knows what else!

You may well have seen this place in the 'Prisoners', 'Doctor Who'. Walking around over the years you might well have caught a glimpse of playwrights, pop stars, poets Brain Epstien and one of the Beatles.

Seen from across the estuary from Harlech it looks magical .... better still, it really is!

WHERE TO GO ON HOLIDAY THIS YEAR

2011-05-25T11:00:00.003+01:00

If you are wondering where to go on holiday - for variety, Wales is very hard to beat. We have mountains, hills, very flat and very high. If wildlife is your thing - we have it. Never seen a 'red kite' ... head for Wales. If you want to touch the worlds oldest rocks ... we have a selection to choose from. 'Go West young man' is not such a bad idea. Of course you won't be the first to visit, Neolithic man and all the other 'bands of man' got here first, as did lots of Saints men and women.

Why am I telling you this -- you won't like this horrible place, where it rains non-stop, all the time, where the people are unfriendly and smell!!! So stay away, go somewhere else and see Micky Mouse. Phew! that was close.

2011-05-23T16:28:00.003+01:00

This is the logo for LLANfest - it is about MAKING LIFE WORK (our strapline for the venture). The inspiration came from a picture I painted of sunflowers (which Picasa3 seems to have swallowed ... I am still having trouble with it each time it is updated). Since Van Gogh painted his famous bunch it can be seen in so many images and designs. When I can track it down I will post my original painting.

SUDDENLY GROWTH!

2011-05-23T16:10:00.001+01:00

Sorry to have been away for so long. We have a very special time coming up at three of our churches here in Drenewydd in June called LLANfest (www.newtownparishes.co.uk) So, I have been replacing my painting hat with that of graphic designer. Slowly my weeks have been nibbled away. But while I have been doing other things nature just keeps going - changing from day to day. This year here in Wales it seemed as if winter would never go, as beautiful as it was.
Then without warning all everything seems at full catch up speed. Some things even seem to have raced ahead of time while others are being held back by both lack of rain and unseasonably windy weather, sucking up the little moisture there is.

WILD WALES - windy

2011-05-03T09:26:00.002+01:00

What a day - just an hour and a bit from home and we were on the wind and windy coast of North Wales. People were unable to get out of their cars because of the wind pressing on the doors. But what a clarity of air, what a vista. We were able to easily make out Snowdon, all the great peaks, the wide vista that is the Llyn Peninsula and finally Bardsey Island.

On the way back around breath taking lakes, reservoirs and highs and lows I was able to make out Bird Island. Bird Island is very much inland but was once a cliff face right up to the wild sea. Thousands of years on cormorants, shags and other sea-birds still nest on its cliff face.
Our final adventure was to follow a sign to 'Nature Reserve' off the mountain road to/from Machynlleth. DON'T DO IT!! We wondered if we would ever get back ... there is wild and there is WILD ... it was that one. Over an hour later we checked to see if it said 'unsuitable for cars' NO!

COED - GAER FAWR - WOOD

2011-05-01T15:10:00.001+01:00

Yesterday we went for a short walk to COED (WOOD) GAER FAWR (LARGE FORT) near Welshpool - Mid Wales.

Caer Fawr is a large hill - densely wooded - in which has been discovered a massive hill fort.

An impressive Iron Age hill fort known as Gaer Fawr Camp (a Scheduled Ancient Monument) occupies the summit of the hill with clearly visible ramparts enclosing a flat camp area with two entrances. Here there are areas of non-woodland habitat (grassland, bracken and scrub) and relatively open woodland dominated by mature broadleaved trees with patches of dense younger self-sown trees.

We went both 'to find the place' and to savour 'the best of the bluebells'. I am sure we will go again.

WHAT A NICE SURPRISE

2011-04-28T12:38:00.001+01:00

I went to town for a watering head for my hosepipe, called in to find out how my Welsh tutor was after being ill, but met someone who said, 'I saw your article in the paper last night'. There was a copy left over in W.H.Smiths. We like these kind of surprises best of all.

GOODBYE FINE FREIND

2011-04-20T18:02:00.003+01:00

I have to say goodbye to a painting I have loved having around. It's going to a good home.
Do other artists want their work to go to a good place where it will be enjoyed and appreciated, or its it just me? I have heard it said that some painters will make up an excuse as to why a painting is not for sale because they think it is being bought for the wrong reason.

DETAILS ARE FUN

2011-04-19T21:53:00.001+01:00

CHAPEL - LLANARTH

2011-04-19T21:42:00.001+01:00

Throughout Wales you will come across Chapels of all shapes and sizes.
One feature that I have noticed is that Chapels need to be viewed from the front, whereas Churches and Cathedrals tend to more special from the side or three quarter face. The gravestones are wonderful works of art in themselves because of the capacity of slate to take both broad and very fine lines.

It was because of these chapels or more especially, the slate, that I have developed a love of GREY. After rain the cemeteries glow with colour as do the walls and roofs. Wales is not grey and dull but grey and spectacularly colourful.

WHO CAN BELIEVE IT?

2011-04-19T21:39:00.001+01:00

This quick shot was taken just a few months ago. We were still in the grip of winter. Now the temperatures are hotter than Greece. To be more correct - hotter than Greece during the day. At night we are close to frost.

THE VOICE OF WALES

2011-04-18T14:52:00.001+01:00

Great! - we are back in business after being unable to post to Blogger for such a long time.

As a child one of my favourite voices was that of Wynford Vaughan Thomas -- this was when we only had radio. About four or five times a year he came on the radio to present a programme, I think, called 'Wales in Winter / Spring etc' or perhaps Christmas in Wales. He was able to weave using words alone a picture of deep snow drifts, summer meadows, wind blown curlews on a sandy estuary. It is hard to think of a more Welsh sounding Welshman. Such a treat.

The photos are of a plaque, placed and often stolen, above Machynlleth on the mountain road. From here many of the great ranges and peaks of Wales can be identified ... five minutes later you see NOTHING ... just mist.

DONE by a long winded route. LLANARTH

2011-04-11T10:26:00.003+01:00

This is LLANARTH - West Wales, adapted from an old sepia photo from around C1880? We have travelled this road many times and know it well.
I have used (for the first time in over a year) broad rough dark outlines. I love this technique, favoured by many impressionist and expressionists. I suppose what I like is the way in which it draws out the fundamental 'pattern' relationships in the viewed scene. These can be simplified and still stand strong on their own. Changing the colours is just 'fun'. I don't why, how or when the colours are right - but I know when to leave them alone.To those with local knowledge - sorry - I have missed a house out!!

I am so looking forward to being able to post easily from Picasa once more - its been a long time

RIVER SEVERN - Y DRENEWYDD

2011-03-22T09:49:00.001Z

Just trying out my very small 5 Megapixal phone camera - 5mp do you remember that! It seemed so big at the time, used by wedding photographers and others as the 'ultimate'.
I am looking forward to painting this scene having composed it and adjusted via photo software. It is a very local scene that I know well and have already studied over the last few years. So watch this space ... if I can find the right canvas.

Top of Mary's lane - Llanarth - 6x8" - oil on canvas - 'now has a new home'.

2011-03-11T16:22:00.002Z

Recently we a had a great time searching the area close to Llanarth in West Wales. There are many almost untouched lanes filled with the richness of old hedgerows. In the spring primroses and snowdrops, later wildflowers mostly forgotten in many towns & cities. A short walk brings to your ear birds you once knew the names of.

IT'S A SIGN!

2011-03-09T15:09:00.001Z

Sorry about the photo - it was taken on a dark day, early morning, from far away.
But, what it does show is that Spring is on its way, with birds getting interested in nesting once more.
The fields round about here in Powys are filling up with new born lambs.
So be patient, be patient, don't be in such a hurry.

CANAL - BUTTINGTON nr WELSHPOOL - acrylic on canvas £70(P+P)

2011-02-14T16:11:00.000Z

This was a difficult painting to complete (and to photograph) as it contains very little colour other than green. It was important that it worked tonally. Maybe the application of a glaze would improve it still further but that is too very risky a step to take.The canal runs alongside the main road from Newtown to Welshpool and beyond and was once a very important part of Newtown's trading process. After the weaving industries of Newtown were taken over by the mechanics of the North, the canal fell silent. This was impacted by a bursting of the banks of the canal outside Newtown. Now it is a wonderful nature reserve, cycle track and walkway. It is often seen on TV programmes with Iolo Williams (the naturalist) who lives close by.

LLANFAIR ROAD - Y DRENEWYDD - oil on canvas - 40x50cm approx - £80 {+P&P)

2011-01-31T10:06:00.001Z

The three pictures aim to show the progress from blank canvas to finished painting. I generally start by covering the canvas with a wet coat of yellow ochre or raw Sienna - then with a rag, wipe the paint away from the light areas, revealing the white canvas. Using a strong mix of the starting colour I then paint in, very roughly, the dark areas to lay down the basic tonal structure of the piece. Then the fun begins as this stage has taken less than ten minutes.

This piece was created using a very restricted palette generally known as 'The Old Master's' - Burnt Sienna / Raw Sienna / Payne's Grey. I admit to finding this a challenge with the brand of paint I used, but will try with another make sometime. Restricting the palette forces you to find the most suitable blend from the triad of colours you have. It also means that the colours used each have a family relationship - a root based colour system. Soon I want to try the opposite end of the scale, a 'high keyed triad' - Permanent Rose / Transparent Yellow / Cobalt Blue.

Y DRENEWYDD - CRESCENT CHURCH from RIVER SEVERN - 40x40cm - oil on canvas - £90 (P&P)

2011-01-14T14:13:00.002Z

This is the second time I have painted this scene. It links the commercial side of Newtown (Y Drenewydd) with the older medieval township. The underpainting was completed in acrylic and then continued using oils. This is basically a RED/YELLOW/BLUE painting but with shift to the side ... using Yellow Ochre / Burnt Sienna / Ultramarine Blue. The range of muted colours is phenomenal and yet very natural. Hope you enjoy.

HIGH FARM - acrylic on canvas - 40x40cm - £90 (+P&P)

2011-01-03T14:21:00.001Z

My next idea turned to paint, imagined from the one second view from a bus window, where the farm view was high above my head. I love painting from imagination based on facts gathered over many years.

WINTER LANDSCAPE / WALES - acrylic on canvas - 40x40cm - £90 (+P&P)

2010-12-31T12:35:00.001Z

Although an imaginary scene it is very typical of mid-Wales.
In fact the idea is triggered by a fleeting image from a bus ride to Brecon before Christmas.
Over Christmas I have been very aware of the colour of snow in the low light of Winter. There is a wonderful warm, almost orange glow with stunning blue shadows.

2010-12-28T14:01:00.000Z

HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2010

2010-12-22T16:21:00.000Z

Thanks for all your sharing - caring - questions and sales of paintings over this year. Have a great Christmas break and remember the Great Artist over this time who never ceases to amaze with each days fresh work.
See you soon - Gary.

The Nativity Story Told Using Social Media (Hilarious Video)

2010-12-17T13:44:00.000Z

The Nativity Story Told Using Social Media (Hilarious Video)

MORE SNOW

2010-12-17T12:35:00.001Z

This was my birthday treat today - and lots more to come over the next few days. This is the second batch of extended snow in the last few weeks - very unusual for this time of year.

COME AND SING

2010-12-15T10:58:00.001Z

If you live in the Newtown area (Drenewydd - POWYS) then why not come along on Sunday morning, 19 Dec 2010 to TESCO's and sing along with the churches of All Saints & Llanllwchaiarn. Hope to see you there.

'BRYN GLAS' above Drenewydd - acrylic on canvas - £90 (+P&P)

2010-12-08T12:39:00.003Z

What a diiference a season can make - this summer scene was a complete blanket of rhime and hoar frost this week, a photgraphers dream.

BEAUTIFUL FOOD

2010-12-07T11:17:00.007Z

We live in a part of Wales that has a plentiful supply of game birds.
Today I prepared my first pheasant.
Apart from getting them ready for the table the greatest joy for me was to be able to get so close to these stunning creatures. I could have spent all day looking at the fantastic details and placement of the feathers, muscles, colours and pattern ... WHAOO is the only way to describe this event.
Pheasants can be a driving hazard where we live as they choose to walk down country roads as if they were in charge! They don't always seem the brightest of creatures.

SUMMER FULLNESS 41x51cm - acrylic on canvas - £80 (+P&P)

2010-12-03T14:53:00.001Z

Oh what fun I've had looking out of my window at a very snowy Wales while painting in a blaze of glory.

A NICE CUP OF COFFEE - surprise, surprise!!!!!!!!!

2010-11-25T12:05:00.001Z

TY COCH - Welsh Cottages near the Sea - acrylic on canvas - 41x51cm - £80(+P&P)

2010-11-22T14:12:00.000Z

Final version - signed sealed and maybe delivered to your door one day.

A WEEK OF CHANGING WEATHER

2010-11-19T10:48:00.003Z

As promised here is my almost finished painting of WELSH HOUSES NEAR THE COAST. It is almost fininshed because the light has been very changeable this week. I took the photo of the Romanesc Broccoli in almost total darkness, using flash. This morning we woke up to soft sunshine filtered by orange fog haze.

My painting has been worked on during the week not knowing what it would look like the next day. i have just a few fiddle to do and then sign it.
I have particularly enjoyed painting sheep in a slightly different way.

WELSH HOUSES NEAR THE SEA - 41x51cm - acrylic on canvas - £80 +P&P

LITTLE LEFT OVERS

2010-11-12T15:22:00.001Z

This post box (letter box) is so typical of the more remote parts of England/Scotland and Wales etc. Quite often they are tucked away behind brambles, set into cottage walls, up telephone posts. They are a reminder of a time when you could post a letter almost anywhere within walking distance of you house. Alongside the postbox would often be found the telephone box. People would hear the phone ring and walk to someones house to tell them there was a call for them ... that's because it was rare to get a call and usually it meant BAD NEWS.

THE GOLDEN FLEECE - acrylic on canvas - NFS

2010-11-11T09:02:00.002Z

A welcome return to an old theme. I really enjoy painting in this way, but cannot make it happen at will. I am already on to my next one in this vein. It is always such a joy to be able to paint like this because it expresses for me something of the amazing joy of living in Wales. This part of Wales, where we live at present has more sheep than people. This in itself is amazing as it seems that the first thing sheep want to do is to die!
I have called it GOLDEN FLEECE because many of the sheep are painted in massively expensive GOLD paint (I think - 64 carrot gold ... giving it a slightly orange appearance).
I like having fun with my artwork.

PAST THREE O'CLOCK

2010-10-22T17:37:00.002+01:00

About two years ago we passed through Carmarthen, Wales, on the way back home. I took a photo, in the height of summer of a little old side street. I just loved the patterns created by the shadows.

This painting has developed from that time, but has become a 'cold and frosty morning'.
In the church choir that I help lead we have decided this year to sing 'PAST THREE O'CLOCK' and I have been working very hard trying to conjure and capture the feeling of this 'cold, frosty morning' with carol singers wrapped up warm under a street lamp. Who knows, perhaps there has been a cross over. Stranger things have happened.

Acrylic on canvas.
50x40cm approx - £70 (P+P £10 approx UK)

THREE CHAIRS for the EISTEDDFOD!

2010-10-18T10:11:00.002+01:00

This coming Saturday I will be compete in a local Eisteddfod in the little town of Llanidloes (that's thrown the spell check!). Our local Welsh speaking minister has put together a humorous 10 minute play centred around a group of Welsh learners taking part in a Service - (in fact we have been having a monthly Welsh learners service with him). The people in the congregation are asked which season of the year they enjoy most .. the responses are always so positive, but, one of the group always seems to bring up an objection ... followed by a groan of 'Oh, David!!!!' from the congregation. [This is the kind of moment where YOU HAVE TO BE THERE]
Although short it has singing, solo's, poetry of a Welsh kind and humour. The Eisteddfod is at the heart of Welsh culture as it a celebration of all that is Welsh. Here's a bit about from Wiki.

The date of the first Eisteddfod is a matter of much debate among scholars, but boards for the judging of poetry definitely existed in Wales from at least as early as the twelfth century, and it is likely that the ancient Celtic bards had formalized ways of judging poetry as well.The first Eisteddfod can be traced back to 1176, under the auspices of Lord Rhys, at his castle in Cardigan. There he held a grand gathering to which were invited poets and musicians from all over the country. A chair at the Lord's table was awarded to the best poet and musician, a tradition that prevails in the modern day National Eisteddfod. The earliest large scale Eisteddfod that can be proven beyond all doubt to have taken place, however, was the Carmarthen Eisteddfod, which took place in 1451. The next recorded large-scale eisteddfod was held in Caerwys in 1568. The prizes awarded were a miniature silver chair to the successful poet, a little silver crwth to the winning fiddler, a silver tongue to the best singer, and a tiny silver harp to the best harpist. Originally, the contests were limited to professional Welsh bards who were paid by the nobility. To ensure the highest standard possible, Elizabeth I of England commanded that the bards be examined and licensed. As interest in the Welsh arts declined, the standard of the main eisteddfod deteriorated as well and they became more informal. In 1789, Thomas Jones organised an eisteddfod in Corwen where for the first time the public were admitted. The success of this event led to a revival of interest in Welsh literature and music. (Wikipedia info)

AMAZING DELIVERY

2010-10-05T16:37:00.001+01:00

How amazed I am that, using ordinary postage 'Royal Mail', that this painting could leave my house later than 3.30pm and get to Northern Ireland in less than 24 hours ... and that included conpensation additions. Brilliant value.

SOLD

HOW TO HIDE A SEAL - Pembrokeshire

2010-09-21T17:06:00.002+01:00

It's easy to see now the waves have washed both seal and pebbles but before not quite so easy.

SLATE PATTERN

2010-09-16T14:52:00.001+01:00

When people don't look around them they miss such beautiful things. Things that have always been there but have not been looked at. This is a slate roof in Pembrokeshire. We went on from here to see seals that didn't want to be seen - they blended in so well on the beach.

ABUNDANCE (2)

2010-09-16T14:47:00.002+01:00

I am holding back from doing any more to this painting.

This isn't unusual for painters to reach the 'shall I or not' stage. Once I have signed it that's it, but my pen is hovering over the signature.

It will just have to sit on the easel until I'm more sure. So enjoy this stage of things.

UPSIDE DOWN DRAWING

2010-09-11T08:44:00.001+01:00

This is one of the results from a class I took called 'Drawing for the Terrified'. Generally they were people who had not been able to draw with any confidence and had quite often been called 'stupid boy - you're rubbish at drawing'.

The people were asked to copy the drawing on the left (which was turned upside down) onto the crossed grid - one of the results is on the right.

The most common comment has always been 'Waow! I'm surprised - I can't normally draw'.

The images come from 'THE TIMES' each week.

I WISH I HAD THE CONFIDENCE

2010-09-09T10:34:00.001+01:00

I wish I had the confidence to know that this really was edible. I thinking this is 'CHICKEN of the WOODS' but unfortunately fungi more often that not have look-a-likes.

ACER RED

2010-09-09T10:29:00.001+01:00

This is the inside story of a very red acer - you don't get much redder than that. I saw this tree in the Dyffryn Gardens near Cardiff.

FIRST ROBIN of the YEAR

2010-08-31T19:18:00.000+01:00

A FEW FLOWERS

2010-08-31T19:16:00.001+01:00

I have used this format before because it sits very comfortably as every dimension is slightly different to the adjoining one.

Acrylic on canvas - FOR SALE

SKYLINE - Y Drenewydd

2010-08-29T14:46:00.002+01:00

Newtown (Y Drenewydd) has a very distinctive skyshape depending on where you are in or out of the town. This view is from the northern approach, crossing the Cambrian Bridge.

Acrylic on canvas - FOR SALE - £70 plus P&P

WELSH COTTAGES

2010-08-27T16:31:00.002+01:00

I am posting this as much for my benefit as anyone elses. The reason being is that it has already changed drastically many times. The big difference is that I would like to add pastel to the work. So this is a record of it before possible changes.

at this moment: acrylic on canvas - FOR SALE - when complete £40 plus P&P