ART
Llangwm is blessed with some outstanding artists who have kindly agreed to share their work with us at Llangwm Village Hall and will be happy to talk visitors through their techniques, inspirations and sell their work.
The Village Hall will be open on all three days of the festival.
There will be craft in St Jerome's church between 10 and 4 on Friday 9 August and Saturday 10 August.
Below you can see links to some of Llangwm's artists with links to their sites.
Claire Phillips
Biography
Claire Phillips has lived in Llangwm with her husband Bob and two daughters Eden and Josie for 30 years. She has described herself as a newbie to the craft of willow weaving, but has learned that this craft has a history close to Llangwm's heart. The formidable Llangwm fisherwomen would use willow panniers, made by their menfolk to carry fish as far as Tenby to sell. For more information see @llangwmwillow on Instagram
David Wilson
Biography
Acclaimed landscape photographer David Wilson lives in Llangwm with his two young boys Charlie and Harry. David’s work captures his home county of Pembrokeshire and further afield, Wales. Photographing primarily in black and white he explores the landscape in search of stories: an abandoned farm, a remote chapel, a cottage at the top of a lane; all add a powerful narrative to his images. Author of two landscape photography books, ‘Pembrokeshire’ and ‘Wales: A Photographer’s Journey’, David’s work demonstrates his love and sense of awe for his native Wales. “These are powerful images. They remind us that rural Wales has a stark and demanding beauty.” Griff Rhys Jones David will be talking to about his latest book 'The Village' at this year's festival.
Fran Evans
Biography
Fran Evans is an illustrator and author based in Llangwm. She studied Graphic Communication at Exeter Art College. Her picture books have been published in Germany, Holland, Korea and Australia and her greetings cards (Two Bad Mice Publishers) are sold worldwide. Fran's designs have been used on wrapping paper, ceramics, C.D's and posters. She is inspired by everything from moss to mountains; woodlice to humpback whales; tree houses to tower blocks. She has travelled in Botswana, Costa Rica, Canada, Australia and throughout Europe. Fran has lived in Llangwm for 16 years, and enjoys nothing more than messing about on the river.
Graham Brace
Biography
I count myself as being very fortunate to live and work in an estuary-side village in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. For an artist like me with a passion for ‘waterscapes’ there is nowhere better. There is an infinite wealth of inspiration right on my doorstep much of which I will never have the time to do justice to. I work in a mixture of media that includes soft pastel, gouache, watercolour and marker but the medium which predominates is coloured pencil. Greatly influenced by my background as a graphic designer and illustrator, my work is precise and representational and coloured pencils allow me to achieve a high degree of detail. I am a founder member of the United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society (UKCPS) which was established in 2001 to promote excellence in coloured pencils and to endeavour to establish it as a credible fine art medium, recognised by the art establishment. I am fortunate to be regarded as one of the leading exponents of this medium related to landscape and seascape art and my work and technique has featured in several leading art publications including ‘Artist & Illustrator’, ‘The Artist’ and France’s ‘Pratiques Des Arts’ as well as in instructional books and websites. I am increasingly drawn to subjects within the wider landscape/seascape…small corners that often go unnoticed by the passer-by. I am particularly interested in natural textures and forms and subtle natural colours. I love the way that nature, with the aid of weather, tide, time and natural growth embellishes, arranges and juxtaposes objects within the landscape, sometimes giving the appearance of contrived design…and often producing quite abstract forms. I love to draw water in its many moods and forms. It is difficult to portray accurately and it gives me a great sense of achievement when I succeed in this. I work from a combination of my own photographic reference, notes and careful observation. All this is blended with dash of artistic license to make a picture work. Contact details: Telephone: 01437 891580 Email: grahambrace@btinternet.com Website: www.grahambrace.com
Jenny Ambler
Biography
Strictly an amateur with no formal training I began taking photographs in the days of manual slr film cameras. Exposure was calculated using a seperate light meter, Scope for enhancement and post pro-duction processing was complex and very limited. While many purists bemoaned the advent of the digital age and ‘dumbing down’ of the technical skills,I loved it - an opportunity to explore the artis-tic content of an image rather than the process to achieve it. I dabbled in many styles - from abstract to angst but today my photos are unapologetically ‘chocolate box’. Just capturing moments in time in our every changing and stunningly beautiful surroundings.
Liz Monk
Biography
I was born and brought up in Barbados, but having lived in Britain for the past 40 years, I now see Pembrokeshire and Llangwm as my spiritual home. I am a scientist by trade, and am an amateur artist in the fullest sense as I paint for pleasure rather than hoping to earn my daily crust. I have mainly painted in watercolours, although I have also worked in acrylics and recently oils. Plein Air painting has always been my passion, and I have no 'studio' to share with you. I would however like to invite you to join me at the pop-up studio by the Big Marquee during the festival where I will be capturing the Llangwm landscape in a loose and immediate style using watercolours.
Sian Jones
Biography
The view from the studio window goes down the garden to the estuary beyond. It changes as the light moves from east to west, shadows lengthening and shortening. Details come into focus and fade as the light changes, sharpening and then softening, blurring the boundaries as new shapes emerge. Out of this familiarity comes a deeper understanding and emotional attachment to nature - engendering the feelings and responses that inspire me to paint. Working with mixed media the process is a combination of adding and subtracting layers of paint, collage or ink. Like thinking aloud, the mark making leaves a trace of what has gone before. Often what seems like an obstacle becomes a new idea. The challenge for me is trying to maintain just the right amount of control without losing spontaneity.