Jill Jones Fine Art

Every year Life: Full Colour runs an Open Show for Wales based artists to showcase their work. Since our first Open Show in 2020, we’ve met an array of talented creatives from all corners of Wales and built long term relationships.

Two artists who have entered our Open Show and now have work featured at the gallery regularly are Dermod Ruddock and Katy Bott.

Dermod is a contemporary artist known for his dynamic landscapes painted in oil, acrylic, or watercolour.

His paintings are inspired by light, colour, dramatic landscapes and the beauty of nature. He brings Mediterranean colours to the landscape to create wonderfully uplifting scenes that bring joy to the viewer.

Katy Bott lives in North Wales, caught between the sea and the mountains of Snowdonia, where she has been painting since 2019. Prior to pursuing painting full-time Katy worked as a garden designer, making connections between architecture and the external environment, organising outdoor space to a specific brief.

Now, walking on her own in the mountains or by the sea, she is inspired to capture the untamed rhythms in the lines of hills, the randomness of drystone walls, the revealing light, and the sky reflected in water.

Dermod says, “Lighting and colour are vital to me. It could be a storm over a Welsh bay, vibrant siesta time on a Greek island, or deep shadows as evening falls over the Northern English mountains.

“My influences include impressionists, expressionists, colourists – greats such as Cezanne, Kandinsky, de Vlaminck, Matisse, Peploe and Diebenkorn – each helping my work to leap off the canvas.”

Katy said, “I grew up in a city, but our family holidays were spent in the mountains of North Wales. I stood in awe of the mountains even as a small child. Now it is my back yard, and I am still overwhelmed by the majestic, lonely height of the hills and the knowledge of the ancient history that lies buried there.

“I use colour to attempt to convey something in addition to the pure visual form of the landscape - the joyous feeling of being alone in an untamed environment where all the senses are engaged. A true visual representation isn't enough, because in the experience there is so much more than that.”

Both Dermod and Katy are passionate about their art, and they share a deep connection to Wales which comes thoroughly strongly in their work. You can see their paintings at Life: Full Colour, 23-25 Hole in the Wall Street, Caernarfon. We’re open Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.