BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS - October 13 - December 24, 2024
"I have been fortunate in recent years that several of my portraits have managed to make their way to the national collections of Wales in Aberystwyth and Cardiff but the focus of this body of work, rather than portraiture, will be the Mountains and Sea around North Western Wales.
Much of my time is spent up in the mountains or on the coast. When I am in these places, especially in more recent years, I have probably become more reflective in terms of my own awareness of our fragile mortality. These feelings become more acute when faced with the weathered grandeur of the land and seascapes of the Western Coast of Northern Wales, the context in which the work is set. Feelings are also compounded following the loss of family or friends. The solar and lunar cycles also feature heavily, themes that reflects the constant passage of time.
Painting can be a selfish endeavour, sometimes focusing upon inward responses to life, the exploration of ideas and the resolution of thoughts and personal feelings. For me it is an organic process that is greatly influenced by my own feelings in response to what I see and feel.
My paintings attempt to create a feel or “visual ambience” of a place rather than a detailed, pictorial representation of what is before me. My starting points for some of the works were the words of artists and writers that have resonated with me in terms of my own view of life and of Wales, these include Brenda Chamberlain, Patrick Jones and R.S. Thomas - Words can inspire imagery just as imagery can inspire words.
I have tried to work quickly and instinctively, Influenced by chance. Many of the paintings have thick layers of paint that have been re-worked several times; some retain the feint imagery of what lay beneath the final image. I have found this process interesting and I hope it has given an additional depth to the final work."
Follow the link below to see a short film showcasing some of my new paintings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVsSwe49PQ0
Pete Jones has created a limited edition (100 only) CD featuring 10 tracks based upon individual paintings in the exhibition. This collection of ambient, electronic pieces will be available at Plas Glyn y Weddw for the duration of the show