15 minute read
Arts & Crafts
Arts&Crafts Enjoyment of the eyes
Despite being in her 70s, Jenny Holland’s artistic career is in its prime, with a new exhibition that celebrates her love of her local area
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Llanddwyn Island
Artists are often drawn to the scenery of North Wales – none more so than Jenny Holland, who spends happy hours walking and sketching her surroundings from her home in Mold and transforming them into stunning works of art. The painter, who works in oils, is constantly inspired by a line from Van Gogh. “It’s from a letter he wrote to Emile Bernard and it just says: Enjoy with your eyes.” The sentiment that is never far from her mind when walking the hills and coastline with her sketch book and paints.
Harbours and fishing communities have always been a great attraction and Jenny will often be seen in her wellies by the creeks of the Dee estuary, or painting or sketching on a harbour wall in Porthmadog, Aberaeron or Cemaes Bay. North Wales satisfies her artistic drive with its abundance of shoreline. She said: “I Iove to be able to potter amongst the boats at low tide when all the masts are on their sides. Yet a few hours later the character of a place is radically changed and offers another opportunity to paint the bobbing boats and the reflections in the water.”
Jenny in her element “I want to capture these moments in time”
Taking her time
When Jenny was invited three years ago to stage a solo exhibition at the prestigious Oriel Ynys Môn centre in Llangefni, Anglesey – home to the Kyffin Williams collection – she eagerly set off from her studio near Mold, in Flintshire, sketch book and camera in hand.
Gwynedd being a large county she decided to concentrate her time painting Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula. Both were easily accessible, and her exploration took her through glorious countryside, sketching as she went. These trips turned out to be a blessing, as soon after that Covid struck, and Jenny was locked down in her studio for long stretches of time, with her exhibition delayed by a year. The sketches proved invaluable.
Working daily in oils, and with a large exhibition space to fill, Jenny’s home rapidly turned into an extended studio. Her bold and textural impressionistic style is achieved in oil, using brushes and a variety of painting knives. The challenge was finding somewhere to store the wet canvases safely – so she hit on the idea of using a series of clothesdrying stands.
“But the drying time for ‘impasto’ oils is anything from three to five months,” she groaned, laughing at the memory of that chaotic time. Boats in Cemaes harbour
Borth-y-Gest beach
Back out and about
As the constraints on travelling lessened, and having now produced several scenes of Anglesey, Jenny set off for Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula to revisit another much-loved location. She first fell in love with the village in the mid-1970s when her children were very young and the family stayed on a working farm. Jenny was captivated by its unspoilt, almost mystical charm back then. Now in her mid-70s, she still returns often, and her bold and lively depictions of the area encapsulate some of her own tremendous energy. She said: “It saddens me sometimes when I see our landscapes changing. I want to capture these moments in time.” Jenny’s paintings are now preparing for their long-awaited display at Oriel Môn. ‘The Grandeur of Gwynedd: Brushes with land and sea’ runs from 18th June to 31st July at the gallery in Llangefni and features 140 new pieces of work by the artist. Now that the days are lengthening and getting warmer, Jenny is already back outdoors, sketching and painting for a summer exhibition at Plas Glyn y Weddw, in Llanbedrog on the Llyn Peninsula. Find out more at jennyholland.artweb.com
Oriel Glasfryn Gallery
New gallery to show Welsh works
A brand-new creative space has just opened its doors to display and sell exclusively Welsh arts and crafts, in the pretty town of Caerwys
Oriel Glasfryn Gallery is the only privately owned art gallery in north-east Wales. It is located just off the A55 North Wales Expressway in Flintshire. It opened in April, and welcomes visitors 10am-5pm Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm on Sundays. The gallery sits in the grounds of Glasfryn Hall, a fine country house that will open to visitors alongside the main space for special extended exhibitions every summer and winter. Oriel Glasfryn will sell an ever-changing selection of highquality work by artists with a strong Welsh connection, including paintings, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork and sculpture. It will also be home to a permanent display of North Wales landscapes Dave and wife Lise by the gallery’s owner Dave Roberts.
Dave told Shire: “I’m an established, self-taught pastel artist specialising in capturing the stunning beauty of the North Wales landscape. I was born in Aberystwyth and now live here in Caerwys. After a career in the charity sector, I became “I can often be a full-time artist in 2018. found
“I can often be found in the mountains in the at dawn or dusk, where the light is at its most dramatic. Twilight and the ‘magic hour’ offers a space in-between. A moment of peace and time to reflect mountains at dawn or dusk” and assess the day that’s been or the day ahead. Walking in the mountains alone and in the dark is one of the most ethereal experiences I know.
He added: “My work is the antithesis of how most people would imagine a pastel to be – bold and vivid with lots of detail. Customers appreciate the almost photographic quality of some pieces. Dramatic skies and water feature heavily.” Welsh talent on display
Sharing the space
The new gallery is inviting artists to get in touch if they are interested in exhibiting. Dave said: “Although we are full for our launch, we are interested in hearing from established or emerging artists with a Welsh connection who would like their work to be represented and sold by Oriel Glasfryn Gallery in future. “At present we are solely seeking artists working in three dimensions (ceramics, jewellery, sculpture etc). Artists working in two dimensions – that is, paintings or other work that is hung on a wall – will be sought through direct invitation.” For more information, please email the gallery There are openings for 3D artists at info@orielglasfryn.com
3rd & 4th May, Tracey Davies Local artist Tracey paints in watercolours and acrylics – mainly animal portraits, but also buildings and more.
6th May, Memory Bears by Margaret
Sutherland Margaret makes teddy bears, some in mohair, which she dresses in cute outfits. She’ll also make little outfits in your own fabric, preserving precious memories.
7th & 8th May, Thelma Evans
Local artist Thelma paints on canvas and specialises in pretty watercolours of flowers, landscape and seascapes.
13th May, The Crafty Sisters The ladies make brightly coloured and pastel jewellery, in a range of materials including resin and fused glass. They also have handmade greetings cards and bags.
17th & 18th May, Elaine at Cherry Bea and
Liz Elaine combines stones, beads and crystals in some lovely jewellery, whilst Liz makes beautifully embellished bags.
19th & 20th May, Jackie at Jewels
Jackie crafts jewellery from different beads and stones, and also offers a repair service for your own broken pieces.
11th & 12th June, Marie at Earth Deva
Marie designs and makes all her quirky and myth-inspired pieces, and has some wonderful artwork and silk and gemstone jewellery.
16th & 17th June, Eco Silver Jewellery by
Sandra Roberts Sandra uses silver reclaimed from the jewellery industry, which she cuts, hammers and twists to create her unique and wonderful pieces.
18th & 19th June, Gill Benjamin Local artist Gill paints land and seascapes, plus places of interest and more. She also has some cute hand-painted wooden items that make lovely gifts.
28th & 29th June, Spinning with Jenni
Frost Jenni will be spinning today, using wool from her own flock of sheep. She is always happy to stop and chat, and explain how it is done.
Afonwen Craft & Antique Centre is open 9am-5pm, Tues-Sun. For a full programme of visiting artists, see afonwen.co.uk
‘Every Picture – Watercolours by Mark Elsmore’, Grosvenor Museum, Chester. Until 15th May.
An exhibition showcasing a choice of subjects from the historic and intricate to the modern and narrative. Mark favours a less traditional watercolour style – you won’t find flowing washes of translucent colours here, but you will discover beauty, stories and meanings. Mark is a member of the prestigious Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. He said: “A successful painting for me is an enduring painting.”
‘Angharad Williams: Picture the Others’, Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno. Until 12th June.
An artist and writer from Ynys Môn (Anglesey), Williams’ practice spans a decade spent between the UK, the Netherlands and Germany. This is her first solo presentation in Wales and first institutional exhibition, and features new work including a series of large-scale paintings, glass sculptures and film. ‘Picture the Others’ is an introspective search and a process of connecting to the outside. It is also a call for imagination when we choose to leave home, hesitation when we turn back and the impulsive decision to go forth.
‘Kunichika: Japanese Prints’, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Wirral. Until 4th September.
This stunning new exhibition of prints by Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) is an exciting follow-up to the gallery’s previous exhibition, ‘Edo Pop’. Kunichika was one of the most important 19th-century printmakers in Japan. Born in Edo (Tokyo), he was trained by Kunisada and went on to be a highly original master in his own right, reflecting the great social and political change at the time. He was best known for his depictions of Kabuki theatre, capturing the drama of popular scenes and actors. More than 60 of Kunichika’s hand-printed single, double and triptych prints feature in this must-see exhibition, the first in a national gallery outside of Japan to focus on his work.
Garden Exhibition, Carden Park, Cheshire
Carden Park Hotel, near Chester has opened its Spring Sculpture Garden Exhibition for 2022. Curated by fine art expert Grant Ford (BBC Antiques Roadshow), the sculptures are set against the backdrop of Cheshire’s 1000-acre luxury estate, with more works on display in the hotel. Each unique piece will be available to buy through
Grantfordltd.
com, priced from £1,000 to £320,000.
PHOTO COMPETITION
Our photo contest has once again brought the region’s super-snappers out in force and revealed a lot of hidden talent across the Shire patch! Last time we asked you to send in images to celebrate being On e Move and you certainly stepped up to the challenge. What a lovely collection – and such a range of interpretations. We’re hoping you’ll soon be out and about enjoying some summer weather, so we’re focusing our next photo competition on exactly that. Using the theme of Summer Fun please share your happiest snaps from sunny days out, weeks away, family gatherings and whatever else you get up to over the next few weeks. So make the most of every opportunity to capture that winning shot, and send your entries to us at the usual address editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk Good luck!
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