Art in Caernarfon

As I have blogged before, the Wales International Harp Festival (Caernarfon, April 2010) has a remarkably appealing, broad programme.   Its collaborations with local community members, schools and artists make it a harp festival that does not only benefit harpists, and in turn the community is helping us.  It's a real team effort!

Three of Wales' most celebrated contemporary artists have donated paintings to help fund the festival's masterclasses and workshops.  These works by Gareth Parry, William Selwyn and Catrin Williams are now available on eBay.  We hope to reach potential new buyers for these wonderful artists by showcasing them in a musical environment, and thank them in turn most warmly for their support.

The festival's strong connection with the visual arts (there will also be a music/art project in local schools, as well an on-site art exhibition throughout the festival) came about through this year's celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of John Parry of Ruabon.  John Parry was born in Nefyn, Gwynedd in 1710, and became one of the greatest harpists of the late Baroque period.  His son, William Parry (1743 1791) trained as a portrait painter under Joshua Reynolds, and  painted a portrait of his father, which will be displayed during the Festival by kind permission of its owner, Miles Wynn Cato. This painting was the inspiration for developing  projects linking art and music during the Festival.

John Parry by William Parry, reproduced here with kind permission of Miles Wynn Cato of Welsh Art, London.

You can read about our three artist sponsors below.  Meanwhile, we have had over 120 applications for the competitions!  The winner of the “Chief Musician” competition will receive a new Atlantide Prestige concert harp, and the international jury will include distinguished harpists from Russia, France, Hungary, Denmark and the USA as well as from Wales, Denmark, England and Ireland. 

Gareth Parry:  Rhosgadfan

Gareth Parry RCA is one of Wales’ leading painters, born in 1951 into the culturally rich quarrying community of Blaenau Ffestiniog. He studied for a while at the Manchester College of Art.

For many difficult years, with money often hard to come by, Gareth established himself not only through private commissions but as a fine illustrator.  However, in the early 1990s  he decided to paint as he wanted, basing paintings of people, places and effects on his sketches. With this shift came admirers from all walks of life, awoken to his talents as a gifted painter - the late Kyffin Williams amongst them, who also became a friend. Gareth’s work is not so much about place as it is about effect or mood, brushwork is of paramount importance.

Earlier this year Gareth had his second major exhibition at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, where his paintings have been bought for the national collection. His work is mostly about Wales and the Welsh and he has a deep understanding of both the landscape and the people who occupy it.

William Selwyn:  Bridge at Penllyn, Llanberis, Snowdonia 

William Selwyn was born in Caernarfon in 1933. In 1954, after two years completing National Service in the Royal Artillery, he studied at Bangor Normal College until 1956. He subsequently taught at Maesincla Junior School and at Syr Hugh Owen School until his retirement in 1990.

William Selwyn’s art is intensely atmospheric , and is centred on the landscape of North Wales, its farm workers and fishermen. He is a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy, a winner of the Singer and Friedlander/Sunday Times 11th Watercolour Competition Exhibition in 1998 with his watercolour of Llanberis Pass. Welsh Artist of the Year in 2001 and winner of Spirit of Llŷn 2003.

William Selwyn’s work has been purchased by Gwynedd Council and Anglesey County Council, by the University of Bangor, the Arts council of Wales, the National Library of Wales, the University of Bath and is to be found in many private collections at home and abroad.

He has exhibited widely, at the royal Cambrian Academy, the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales, the Royal West of England Academy, the Royal Society of British Artists, the Tegfryn Art Gallery, Menai Bridge, the Albany Gallery, Cardiff, Tibb Lane Gallery, Manchester, Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Llanbedrog, John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the Wold, Electric Mountain, Llanberis, Oriel Arfon, Caernarfon and Thackeray Gallery, London.

Catrin Williams: Amser Te

Welshness - or rather the experience of living in Wales - is an obvious theme in Catrin Williams's work.  Elements from her background and upbringing in Meirionnydd insist on inclusion in her work - the home and the farm; the celebrations and the clothing; the music and the Welsh culture; the family traditions and the familiar faces.

Catrin's work has been exhibited widely throughout Wales, in galleries in Scotland, England and Ireland - her series of Ffrogiau Cerdd Dant - Cerdd Dant Dresses has lately been shown at the Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, U.S.A. as part of the highly successful Prints of Wales exhibition. Over the past year her work has been in demand from many private collectors and their response to the newer works has been very rewarding. Pieces of Catrin's art are in private collections all over the British Isles, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Canada and America - and in the public collections of MOMA Wales Machynlleth, Cyngor Sir Gwynedd County Council, Oriel Ceredigion Aberystwyth and the Newport Gwent Gallery and Museum.

Nearly twenty years after graduating from the Art College in Cardiff, Catrin still gives her energy to paint and draw her world. She constantly produces original series of works, exhibits consistently and strongly believes in encouraging and supporting other artists - from reception age school classes and from every corner of the society. Catrin meets art college students who are studying her work regularly - students who are eager to discuss her art and craft and also eager to her spark her enthusiasm.