David Lloyd Griffith RCA
The loneliness of the landscape painter
David Lloyd Griffith RCA
The loneliness of the landscape painter
Limited edition of 50 copies
Images c David Lloyd Griffith 2016 Ffin y Parc Gallery
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Foreword
For the past 25 years, David has been keeping some of his favourite pictures and paintings with the idea that they would one day form a retrospective show. Now, to mark his 60th Birthday, David has decided that the time is right for the Retrospective, and so here it is: A chance to follow the development and maturing of an artist through 96 works completed over a quarter of a century. Sometimes, he has chosen works because they hold particular memories. Sometimes they encapsulate his state of mind or mark a milestone in his development as an artist. And sometimes because they are just his favourites! What shines through is his enduring obsession with his locality around Betws yn Rhos, the village in North Wales where he has lived all his life, and his intimate understanding of its moods and glories. Painting always ‘in situ’, and driven out in all weathers, all year round, alone and silent, he has made it his life’s work to capture the spirit of the home he loves so much: specific places at particular moments. Come and share with us the glorious sunsets; the hazy summer fields buzzing with insects and fizzing with pollen; the implacable mountains with their shrugging ambivalence and sudden lethal turbulence; and the snow-lit winter landscapes frozen still under cold, closed grey skies. It is rare and valuable to have an artist who is so in sympathy with his subject: The man who made these images has been made by the landscapes he paints, and he is a part of every single one. His passion and energy are compelling. We hope you enjoy this book.
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Porthmeor Beach, St Ives. Pencil on Paper 1990
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Vaughan Street, llandudno. Charcoal on Paper 1991
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Conwy Town from the Walls. Graphite on Paper 1992
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The Clwydians (From Pen y Cloddiau) Charcoal on Paper 1995
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Dusk, Bryn y Maen Charcoal on Paper 1993
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Sunshine after Rain, Dyffryn Dulas. Charcoal and Chalk on Paper. 1996
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Autumn on Pen y Corddyn 1997 Oil on board
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A Burst of March Sunshine (Dyffryn Dulas) 1998 Oil on board
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Dulas Beach Noon 1998 Oil on card
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On the Great Orme 1998 Oil on board
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cottages at Trofarth 1999 Oil on board
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Early May, Dyffryn Dulas 1999 Oil on board
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Autumn Day near Rhyd y Bedd 2000 Oil on board
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Trees at Brynffanigl 2000 Oil on board
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This was painted from Rhuddlan Castle. As it was getting dark, some youths who had been playing five-a-side football in the Castle moat, stopped their football game, and finding me, became curious at my painting activity. “What you doing mister?” I explained my purpose. Pause. Then I heard comments such as - “It’s okay that.” “Yeah, it’s cool innit.” “Ace Man.”
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Dusk - Morfa Rhuddlan 2000 Oil on card
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Bank of the Elwy Llanfair TH 2001 Oil on board
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Spring Day, New Bridge Llanfair TH 2001 Oil on board
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Winter Snow, Nant Dulas 2001 Oil on panel
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Dusk, Cae Pen Ffordd (Betws yn Rhos) 2001 Oil on board
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Orange Sunset, Cae Weirglodd (Betws yn Rhos) 2002 Watercolour on paper
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Yellow Sunset - Midsummer (From Car Penffordd) 2002 Watercolour on paper
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Bay of Colwyn 2002 Oil on board
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Evening over Bay of Colwyn 2002 Oil on board
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Dusk Streaked with Gold - Hiraethog 2002 Oil on board
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Farm near Rhyd y Bedd, Hiraethog 2003 Oil on board
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Sunset with Snow, Trofarth and Dolwen 2003 Oil on board
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Autumn Day - Dyffryn Dulas 2004 Oil on board
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Damson Blossom (Bryn Euryn) 2004 Oil on board
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Sunset after Rain, Betws yn Rhos 2004 Oil on board
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Cloudy Day, Pensarn Beach 2005 Oil on board
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Snowdonia from Llysfaen 2005 Oil on board
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Moel Siabod from Trofarth 2005 Oil on board
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Lane at Bethgeth - Autumn 2005 Oil on board
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Crashing Wave, Pensarn 2006 Oil on board
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Low Tide, Pensarn Beach 2006 Oil on board
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May, Silage Fields. Dyffryn Dulas 2006 Oil on board
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Snow towards Betws yn Rhos - From Rhyd y Foel 2006 Oil on board
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August Day, Pensarn Beach 2007 Oil on board
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Llanelian and Dolwen 2007 Oil on board
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Stormy Sunset, Dyffryn Conwy 2007 Oil on board
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Evening, Cefn Rogo - Llanddulas 2007 Oil on board
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Spring Snow, Llysfaen 2007 Oil on board
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Mynydd Llus (Moelfre Uchaf) with Snow 2007 Oil on board
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Painting in a public place brings the risk of attracting people to you. On this accasion, despite my efforts to be as inconspicuous as possible by sitting-down, my painting board propped-up by my carrying case, I had the attention of a dog-walker. I can recall the conversation going along these lines: “Nice day for a spot of painting.” “Yes” I said. “I used to do a bit myself, just a dabble you know. Don’t do much now, got a hernia. But the wife paints. She likes water-colours. Well good luck and cheerio.”
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Rhyl Beach 2008 Oil on board
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Farm near Llansannan 2008 Oil on board
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After Rain - Nentydd (Barley Fields) 2008 Oil on board
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Moel Siabod and Snowdonia from Trofarth 2008 Oil on board
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Silage Harvest - Dyffryn Dulas 2008 Oil on board
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Summer Shower - Hiraethog 2008 Oil on board
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Road to Merchlyn (Resevoir & Elidir Fawr) 2009 Oil on board
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Sunset over Carneddau and Dyffryn Conwy 2009 Oil on board
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Llyn Idwal and Tryfan Buttress 2009 oil on board
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This was painted in the very cold December of 2010 when we had sub-zero temperatures for almost a month. It is painted above Betws yn Rhos and necessitated a longish walk to get to this vantage-point. Nearing my viewpoint, a hare suddenly appeared and bounded up the field to the very spot I had chosen to paint from. The hare brought me good luck, as I was pleased with this painting!�
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Afternoon Sunshine, Dyffryn Dulas 2010 Oil on board
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Sunset over the Migneint (Gwynedd) 2009 Oil on board
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A Hint of Autumn - Dyffryn Dulas and Craig y Forwen 2010 Oil on board
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It was a bitterly cold day when I did this oil-sketch. It is executed from Llyn Idwal above the Cwm Idwal Visitor Centre. I had already painted a large panel before, so I was already beginning to feel the cold; however I decided to do a quick small oil-sketch before returning to my car. By its completion it was approaching sunset, and the temperature was beginning to drop like a stone. I returned to the visitor centre, but found by this time that my hands were so cold and numb that I simply couldn’t turn the key in the car door. For several minutes I just blew vigorously onto my fingers to get some feeling back. Fortunately, this worked, and starting the car engine, I sat for several minutes waiting for the car to be warm enough to de-frost myself. I’ve never been more grateful for my car heater!
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Winter Snow on Tryfan (With Cloud Descending Bwlch Tryfan) 2010 Oil on board
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Rhyl Beach 2010 Oil on board
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Cefn Meriadog Church (St Asaph) 2010 Oil on board
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This was painted from ‘Parc Nant Peris’ just beyond the village and towards Llanberis. Helicopter activity in Snowdonia is not unusual, and so I paid no attention on this day to the sound of a distant helicopter. Even when it came very close from behind and flew very low before heading off I just continued my painting. Gradually, the sound lessened, and then grew again as I realised the helicopter was making a repeat run, and on this occasion, it was even lower and closer to me. As it passed, almost overhead, an object was dropped making a ‘clump’ noise as it hit the ground some 100 metres away from me. It began to emit a bright orange smoke. In this surreal moment, I dived for the nearby hedge, heart pounding, half-expecting S.A.S troops to appear from a nearby copse. The helicopter flew on and then returned once again, only this time it began descending and to land, approximately 200 metres from me. For a moment, I thought I was in a parallel universe or that I had died and the helicopter was taking me to heaven. The sound was deafening, its rotor-blades cutting the air and making the grass move like a turbulent sea. Then the door slid open and at this precise moment, the pilot saw me standing frozen still. He seemed surprised to see me. From the direction of the lay-by, a string of white-helmeted people appeared and climbed into the helicopter. Then I realised it was the rescue team, and I later learned that a walker had had to be rescued from the slopes of Snowdon. Needless to say, I wasn’t taken to Heaven!
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Crib Coch and Nant Peris (From Parc Peris) 2011 Oil on board
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Gorse in Flower - Dyffryn Dulas 2011 Oil on board
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Gusty Spring Day - Llysfaen 2011 Oil on board
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November Dusk - Hafod Dafydd 2011 Oil on board
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Autumn Twilight, Dyffryn Dulas 2012 Oil on board
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This was painted near the lay-by at the top of the Crimea Pass which affords a stunning view of Moel Siabod. Despite a forecast check before my journey, I began this painting with dark clouds already appearing in the pass, and rain seemed imminent. Fortunately, I had got the main details down and was nearing completion before the heavens opened. Tilting my painting at an angle in an attempt to protect the working-surface, I managed to complete the painting in the rain. Despite a waterproof jacket, my trousers from the knee-down were soaked and I had a most uncomfortable journey home.
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Storm - Moel Siabod and Bwlch y Gorddinan (Crimea) 2011 Oil on board
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Llyn Padarn and Castell Dolbadarn 2012 Oil on board
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Conwy Town and River 2012 Oil on board
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Spring Fields Pen Aled 2012 Oil on board
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Twilight over Snowdonia from Brenig 2012 Oil on board
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Sunsets have been a regular part of my subject-matter for 25 years. Because of the limited time available in capturing sunsets and dusk scenes; most of my studies have been on a small-scale. However, on this occasion I managed to succeed in capturing one on a large scale. Late autumn and winter sunsets I find the most intense, and there is a magical quality to the light especially in the sky once the sun has dipped below the horizon, ushering in the twilight and dusk. And, as if on cue, at that point the Rooks take flight, their black shapes silhouetted against a golden sky; whilst in the distance a tractor chugs its way homeward, a sheepdog barking in accompaniment.
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Rainbow Sunset over Dyffryn Conwy (From Llysfaen) 2012 Oil on board
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Spring Blossom - Dyffryn Dulas 2013 Oil on board
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Big Clouds near the Coast - Llysfaen 2013 Oil on board
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Gentle Sunset - Dyffryn Dulas 2013 Oil on board
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Heather near Hafod Dafydd 2013 Oil on board
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Cotton Grass - Cefn Brenig 2014 Oil on board
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Hot Day in July towards Betws yn Rhos (from Pen y Corddyn) 2014 Oil on board
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Snowdon and Llyn Padarn 2014 Ink on paper
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Towards Capel Curig from Llugwy 2014 Ink on paper
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Crib Goch and Nant Peris (Autumn) 2015 Oil on board
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Crib Goch, Evening 2015 Oil on board
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Evening Light, Nant Peris 2015 Oil on board
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Harvest Moon - Betws yn Rhos 2015 Oil on board
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Late Autumn - Nant Peris, Llanberis Pass 2015 Oil on board
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A Summer's Evening, Great Orme 2015 Oil on board
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Rain at Pen Aled 2015 Oil on board
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Rain over Trofarth; Dry in Dyffryn Dulas 2015 Oil on board
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Road Through Nant Peris 2015 Oil on board
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Silvery Light, Tryfan and Y Garn 2015 Oil on board
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Towards Betws yn Rhos - Hot Day in May 2015 Oil on board
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Summer Flowers at Trofarth 2015 Oil on board
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Sunset over Dyffryn Conwy 2015 Oil on board
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Towards the Clwydians from Nant Glyn 2015 Oil on board
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January Snow, Dyffryn Dulas 2016 Oil on board
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Snowdon, Moelfre Uchaf 2016 Oil on board
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David Lloyd Griffith RCA I was born in Colwyn Bay in 1956. My art training consisted of a Foundation year at N.E.W.I. Wrexham, several years of life drawing classes, and finally four years with the Open College which I completed in 1993. I became a full Academician of the Royal Cambrian Academy in the spring of 1996. I work entirely out of doors. I find this the most stimulating way of painting, and essential to my creative expression. John Constable said that painting was another word for feeling, and that he should paint his own native scenery best. Simply, if I did not love the landscape I could not paint it.
Solo exhibitions 2016 Retrospective, The Loneliness of the Landscape Painter, Ffin y Parc Gallery 2015 New Works, Ffin y Parc Gallery 2014 New Works, Ffin y Parc Gallery 2013 Pilgrim, Ffin y Parc Gallery 2011 50 Walks, Ffin y Parc Galery 2010 Y Galeri, Betws y Coed 2009 Royal Cambrian Academy 2008 Y Galeri, Betws y Coed 2006 Alpine Gallery, Betws y Coed 2003 Llanrwst Museum and Almshouses 2002 Maen Offeren, Blaenau Ffestiniog 2002 Plas Glyn y Weddw, Llanbedrog Pwllheli, North Wales 2001 "Moments", Denbigh Art Gallery and, Museum, Denbighshire 2000 "Blue Remembered Hills", Ogilvy and Estil, Conwy 1999 Rhyl Art Centre 1998 "Land of My Fathers", Ogilvy and Estil Gallery, High Street, Conwy
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Winter Sunset over Dyffryn Dulas 2016 Oil on board
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