Family Knees-Up, acrylic
This month’s spotlight on a British Art Club member
We present...
GLEN WILLIAMS
This artist paints powerful reflections of community and shared experiences
In the heart of Yorkshire, Glen Williams’ work connects with the everyday experiences of the working class. His artistic journey began in the 1970s, shaped by the industrial landscape and the lives of those around him. Glen’s story speaks to art lovers, especially those who have walked similar paths, as he brings a deep understanding of community and resilience to his work.
Reflecting on his early days, Glen admits, “I can’t ever remember specifically wanting to be an artist, but I always loved to paint and draw.” Growing up in a working-class family, school was a refuge for him, as art was the only subject that truly excited him. He remembers searching for “any scrap of paper or card” to express his creativity, often using the backs of envelopes and cardboard boxes. This resourcefulness remains with him and he continues to incorporate discarded materials into his art, showing his commitment to sustainability.
His journey as an artist was not always easy. “I didn’t really pick up a paint brush for the next 40 years,” he reveals, as life’s responsibilities, like work and family, took over. It wasn’t until “seven or eight years ago” that he returned to painting while going through a tough time. Glen describes finding it “very therapeutic to depict some of the things that I was experiencing mentally.” He passionately advocates for art therapy, stating, “I think there should be a lot more made of it in society,” underscoring the need for creative outlets in mental health.
Growing up in South Yorkshire, Glen was influenced by a community of miners and steelworkers. “Working-class people feature heavily throughout my work,” he notes, recalling school trips to coal mines and steelworks. This rich background shapes his paintings, which often show the daily lives and struggles of these individuals. He captures their dignity and spirit, inviting viewers to connect with their stories.
Glen prefers using acrylics but enjoys experimenting with different mediums. “At the moment I’m creating sculptures using discarded cardboard boxes,” he explains. “I’m influenced by all sorts of artists, but I particularly like the art of Norman Cornish and John Thompson.” His recent exhibition at Huddersfield Art Gallery highlights his focus on people and community. Through his art, Glen invites viewers to reflect on their own memories and experiences, creating a connection that celebrates shared humanity. britishartclub.co.uk/profile/glwilliams ▫
Out of the Darkness, acrylic
Games Night in the ‘Nook’, acrylic
Family Day at Skeggy, acrylic
Arnold (Study), oil on panel, 42x26cm
The winner of the first Raw Umber Paint Off is largely self-taught, whilst she attributes her musical education as an unlikely tool in helping her become the artist she is today, finds Niki Browes
Ruth Fitton
Precipice, oil on linen, 75x90cm
Sarah Foat
This artist blends colour and texture through detailed acrylic layers. Ramsha Vistro digs deeper
Sarah Foat’s paintings are all about layers: of paint, colour and meaning. Her work, heavily inspired by graffiti, is an exploration of adding and removing paint; creating textures that reveal glimpses of what lies beneath.
After graduating from Bath Spa University with a Fine Art degree in 1998, Sarah swapped the studio for the spotlight, running her own gallery for a full decade. After a break to focus on motherhood, she’s back at the easel, diving
headfirst into her passion for abstract art. Sarah shares how she builds her abstract worlds through experimentation, markmaking and a bit of chaos. Her goal? To create works that intrigue, energise and offer a moment of thought-provoking escape for the viewer. With vivid colours and rich textures, her art invites you to look closer; to explore the stories hidden within the layers and to get a little lost in the process. sarahfoat.co.uk
Cloud Walk, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 30x30cm
Pastures Flowing into the Palisades , oil on canvas
61x61cm
This artist creates spiritual landscapes, blending natural and human elements through a panoramic lens, as Bianca Dumas finds out
Chris Segre-Lewis
Chris Segre-Lewis is always wondering about the story behind the image, particularly when he gazes out at a landscape. Why did people settle in this area? What beliefs did they bring to the place? What experiences did they have here? His landscapes are viewed from the highest perspective he can find and always merge natural and humandesigned elements. “I want to present the landscape as if the landscape itself is a created, painted artwork,” he says.
The artist developed his eye for large-scale, panoramic landscapes in his early years while enjoying artist residencies in various places including Ireland and Indonesia. Through his travels, he had the realisation that physical
places can be like spiritual sponges, holding centuries of spiritual content within them. His landscapes are therefore spiritual portraits, though he tries not to overstate them. “I resist over-describing when I paint,” he says. “I want it to be simple. I want a single mark to say a lot.”
He lives in the US on a farm, in the state of Kentucky with his wife, four kids and lots of extended family. After spending 20 years as a professor of art at Asbury University in Wilmore, where he focused primarily on colour theory, Chris now paints full-time. He is represented by galleries in several major American cities: Atlanta, Lexington and Nashville; along with the powerhouse art towns of Jackson Hole, Santa Fe and Scottsdale. chrissegrelewis.com ▸
The Dales, oil on canvas, 40.64x45.72cm
