Artists | Newport Art Group

Newport Art Group Members

Click on any image to view an artist's profile and a link to their Gallery

Lesley Williams

After many years living and painting abroad, Lesley moved to West Wales in 2002. She uses acrylics and watercolours to paint a wide range of subjects, inspired by the stark beauty of the Preseli Mountains, the rich woodland vegetation, brooks and streams of the local valleys, and the majestic cliffs, estuaries, shores and harbours of the west Wales coast. The rural environment has also inspired paintings of a variety of farm and domestic animals. Lesley has exhibited and sold paintings regularly at Picton Castle Galleries and has contributed paintings to many local exhibitions. She also holds open studio days to showcase her work to the local community.

To see more of or buy Lesley’s paintings contact her at: artcwmtaf@gmail.com

Heather-Jane Hold

Currently Programme Secretary for Newport Art Group. After a teaching career and raising a family, I moved to Pembrokeshire in 2008. Now retired, I paint because I love to create, more in the winter months when I am not busy gardening. I paint in my art studio, situated in a rural 3.5 acre woodland garden, which houses my work and is open to the public by appointment.

I am attracted to vibrant colours and see things in an abstract way. I paint as I feel and like to experiment with colour, shape, form and media. My early work was experimental using watercolour, ink, gouache, fibre and acrylic but in recent years I have adopted new techniques such as Acrylic Pouring. This is a fluid painting technique used to create art by pouring acrylic paint in different densities and adding other agents to allow me to apply colour in a variety of patterns. Pouring results in a unusual, unique cellular images, which I find stimulating and creative.

Cora Ann Sild

Cora has tried crafts of all descriptions, from printing to wood carving, needle felting and jewellery making to ceramics and driftwood sculpture. Drawing and painting have been a constant artistic thread since childhood, with recent forays into watercolour appealing to her love of light and colour, and collage providing a fun element of unpredictability.

A keen walker and observer of the natural world, Cora works en plein air and from photographs of anything interesting or eye-catching along the way. Most of her work is small-scale, completed on paper that will fit easily into a handy backpack. Since relocating to north Pembrokeshire, she has been inspired by the wonderful Preseli hills and coast, and developed a fascination with quirky local architecture.

Sue Sharp

I love to see the paint in my pictures, generally the thicker it is or the greater the number of layers the happier I am. In paintings I admire seeing the brush strokes, the marks and stabs and sgraffito. I remember the visceral excitement I felt when I first saw one of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers where he uses paint and stroke so thickly it appears three dimensional.

I find any subject that encourages me to experiment with paint and surface is a good choice for me. I feel I can express more with marks, rubbing, over painting and plenty of texture. If there is a mood or colour or firm that captures me then I want to paint it. I like to use a broad brush or a knife and I enjoy using colours that are not realistic to the subject but those that are suggested to me.

I try to work towards abstraction and I’ve been influenced by artists Barbara Rae, Georgia O’Keefe, Hockney and Van Gogh. I’m interested in the Pembrokeshire landscape both coastal and uplands; flower forms and portraiture.

Judy Maynard

After retiring from a career in secondary art education, I moved to the depths of West Wales in 2017 where I have had freedom to pursue my own creativity. The beautiful environment in which I now live provides much inspiration.

My artwork can be divided in to three areas;

1) A loose use of acrylic colour and palette knife to interpret inspiring themes - such as woodland and ancient sites.

2) A more precise use of ink and watercolour to render ornithological subjects, often containing detailed images, eg ‘Skomer Puffin’ which contains an image of the cliff face on Skomer Island.

3) Thirdly, the economy, design and simpler colour of Japanese art has helped inspire my botanical interpretations, evident in more recent collages which integrate Washi papers.

In my work I like the materials I use to have a ‘voice’, hence my work is not necessarily photographically precise but a personal manipulation of the media employed. There are mixed media pieces combining several techniques and materials – spattering, pen work, specifically prepared collage papers.

My Gallery is only a sample of my many paintings. To arrange a purchase or a visit to see my work please contact me:
JudyMaynard65@gmail.com

Ros Watson

Currently Secretary of Newport Art Group. After retiring as an English teacher Ros moved to Wales where she has lived for nearly ten years.

She now has the freedom to follow her first love of Art. She works mainly with traditional oil paints on canvas loving their sensual qualities and spontaneity. Recently she has worked with acrylics on paper and sometimes uses mixed media. Ros loves Samuel Palmer and William Blake's vision of Nature and is also very inspired by the Impressionists. Being drawn to the Neo Romantic Painter's approach to representing the world around her she finds it naturally resonates with this lovely part of Wales. She paints "en plein air" enjoying engaging with the myths and legendary Pembrokeshire atmosphere.

She is attracted by the organic shapes and patterns of the sea coast, the woods and the Preselis and feels as though she is moving further towards abstracting this magical landscape.

Liz Bellamy

Liz has found Covid lock down and aftermath a difficult time to remain motivated.
Nonetheless, some work has been done and progress made.

From a background of antique dealing, travel rep, and second language teaching, it is a delight to have time now to indulge a passion for art. To be able to respond to the amazing countryside and coast is indeed a privilege. My aim is to move towards a semi abstract rendition of what I see. To catch the elation and excitement. The journey continues!

Barbara Burton

Currently Chair of Newport Art Group. Following a love of drawing at an early age I developed a great interest in the Arts through my involvement in theatre, singing, photography and painting. Covering a large 3m x 2m backdrop in imaginary landscapes is delight to me, as is making props and adapting costumes.
Having recently moved to Pembrokeshire with my family I now indulge in my passion for the sea and am currently exploring the form and light of waves in oils.

Brenda Squires

I attempt to put my own experience across. It is the grappling with the medium, which always remains a challenge, and the impressions and sensations within me. I like that painting is sometimes about cheating and taking liberties, about fooling the eye and making the brain of the beholder do plenty of unconscious but necessary work. I like that paintings can evoke moods, that they can create worlds within worlds, vistas beyond the imagination.

Lizzie Moir

I began painting in France some 10 years ago. Inspired by the wonderful scenery of the south it’s vineyards, hills , chateaux and coastline. I began using watercolour but later progressed to mixed media, oils and gouache mainly. Five years ago I came to live in Pembrokeshire and began to paint mostly in the Pembrokeshire style, small cottages and seascapes and flowers, in vibrant colours which I love. I suppose I largely paint in the naive style being a self taught artist, painting for love not money!

Patricia Ross

I live in Newport and feel privileged to be in such a beautiful place, I spend many hours walking in the countryside and by the sea finding inspiration all around. Recording my feelings about this area is my main inspiration for painting.

Where possible I like to sketch or paint in situ finishing my work from photos taken during the process, weather permitting I will finish a painting outdoors.

I paint mainly in watercolour, ink, acrylic and occasionally oil, exhibiting and enjoying commissions.

I have enjoyed art for over 40 years painting and exhibiting with Rugby Art Society before moving15 years ago to this area where my husband was born.

My art work is displayed in Blas at Fronlas a popular cafe here in Newport.

Stephanie Burton

Currently Treasurer of Newport Art Group. Unlike most artists I don't have a passion for painting or drawing, but I do have an insuppressible desire to create things. I've built my career around the fact that I simply love to do things, for the pure enjoyment of doing it, and the more expressive the better. Whether it's music and theatre, film and photography, dance, travel or simply putting colour to canvas, if there's a way I can capture life's beautiful and complex moments, while being creative, that's where you'll find me!

Eve Kemp-Gee

After many years in accountancy I came to Wales with husband Stuart and did what I always wanted to do, go to Art School. I enrolled on a 3 year degree course in fine art and left with a BA Hons in Fine Art. Whether this makes me a good artist is open to question but how enjoyable it was.
In my painting I try to capture the essence of the wonderful garden that my plantsman husband Stuart has created and the beautiful Welsh countryside that surrounds us. I do go off course sometimes with other subjects, for instance the paintings of the Red Sea.
Commissions are undertaken, do you have a view from your window you would like to have on canvas, or a place with fond memories. My works are mainly in acrylic or oils or mixed media on canvas.

Rachel Pryke & Tilly

I am an artist and author/illustrator living part-time in Poppit, Cardigan, where my family are from. Painting was the perfect antidote to my years working as a GP whilst my recent foray into illustrating my first children’s book, The Little White House that Blew Away – has been enormous fun. I love painting landscapes in oil and cold wax, but I also enjoy watercolours. The Pembrokeshire coast continues to be an inspiring subject. I am largely self-taught but do regular watercolour and drawing sessions, often accompanied by my painter mum Mary Hugh, who is also a member of CAS/NAG at age 90. I’m happy to take commissions. See my website for more details and a sneak preview of my book! https://rachelprykeartist.wordpress.com/
Or find me on Facebook - https://rachelprykeartist.wordpress.com/ or get in touch by email rachelgpryke@btinternet.com

Ann Gibbons

Painting in and around Pembrokeshire is always a delight for me. Previously I lived and enjoyed painting and exhibiting in Gloucestershire, selling in local Cotswold galleries .
On moving to Pembroke shire I joined the local art group in Newport where I have continued painting and making many like- minded painter friends.
I am inspired by the changing light on this peninsular and sketch outside in the glorious surroundings starting a colour study on the spot and working up into a finished painting back in my studio.

I paint in oils ,watercolour and mixed media .

Carol Francis

My work has always been deeply rooted in landscape; investigating the shapes, tones, colours and patterns seen in views of hedges, trees and hills is endlessly engaging. What appears to be the ordinary that surrounds us provides such rich content for exploration and interpretation and I remain completely addicted.

Painting in oils has remained lifelong romance driven by a love of the subtlety of colour which this medium provides. I make drawings en plein air throughout the year and use these as starting points for paintings in the studio. Recently, I have enjoyed using soft pastels and the delicacy and subtlety they provide has led to a new direction.

I am a painter and ceramicist who has lived and worked in Wales for 36 years. 1studied fine art at Walthamstow School of Art and the Royal Academy Schools under William Scott, Ken Howard, Peter Blake and Fred Cuming, all of whom emphasised the importance of drawing, a practice that I have always encouraged my students to view as a foundation for artwork. I’ve taught at secondary school and adult education levels and currently, I am a fine art tutor to the Rhosygilwen Art Group.