Sculptor

Ivan Black is an award winning British sculptor, born in London 1972 and has lived and worked in Pembrokeshire for many years. He began making sculptures at an early age, motion quickly becoming central to his work, adding another dimension of complexity and interest to his experiments. He spent his early working life acquiring multi-disciplinary skills in the pursuit of the means to realise his ideas. 

Ivan’s own unique methodology to create forms that mutate upon the introduction of energy. The repetition of identical elements is a recurrent theme in his work,  by this means he  builds complex fluid structures. Each piece is a section of a potentially continuous sequence, generated by the application of systematic rules to his geometry.

Ivan takes inspiration for his designs from iconic natural geometry, combining mathematical concepts and the pioneering spirit of British engineering to create a synergy between Science, Art and Technology. His meticulously engineered and seamlessly integrated mechanisms are central to the behaviour and appeal of his work. Tending towards the minimalist in design, the movement is allowed to take centre stage. 

Awards:  Cottesloe Acquisition Award for ‘Golden Section’ Darc Awards, best decorative pendant/chandelier for ‘Nebula’ 

Commissions: Diorama-Adobe Salt Lake City, Parabola-Nobu Hotel, Portland Square, London,      Kinetic Symmetry- Royal Botanic Gardens, Ontario, Asklepian- Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.

Sculptor

Ros Burgin is a graduate of the University for the Creative Arts and has been working in the field of sculpture and installation art for over 20 years. Her passion and interest in sustainability and environment is reflected in her art.  Using found and re-purposed objects and incorporating these materials in her sculpture, Burgin also weaves a narrative of women's role in society into her work.

Her  work has been exhibited widely throughout the United Kingdom and is in private collections in the United Kingdom, Holland, France and the United States.

Sculptor

James Doran-Webb is the well-travelled son of the owner of Upton Castle.  He currently lives and works in Cebu in the Philippines where his lifelong obsession for working with wood and a fascination with the animal form led to the creation of his driftwood sculptures, transforming long dead wood, gathered from the rivers and shoreline, into works with movement and vitality. Animating the inanimate, a concept at the heart of his work.  

The process of creating his sculptures starts with an in-depth study of both the animal’s movement patterns and anatomy before he moves on to creating the armature of recycled stainless steel and finally finding the perfect pieces of reclaimed drift wood that bring the pieces to life, a process that requires attention to detail and many hours of dedication. He often chooses subjects that reflect the preoccupations of his childhood using thoroughbred horses, puffins and owls as his inspiration. 

A regular exhibitor at RHS Chelsea flower show his installations garner as much attention as the surrounding show gardens. James’ work can be found in private collections across the globe and in some of the world’s best known Botanical Gardens. His largest installation to date is A Family of Giraffes on the roof of the Botanic garden at Beijing Expo 2019. The Gardens in the Bay, Singapore have amassed a collection of over 48 pieces of his work. 

Sculptor

Born 1946 Staffordshire. England and studied at the Royal College of Art. London. Head of Sculpture at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff until 2000. Since 2000 he has concentrated on making his own work and running Berllanderi Sculpture Workshop. He has lectured in Europe, North America and India and has attended many International Symposiums. He has made several Public Commissions including ‘Archform’ at Newport Railway Station and ‘The Celtic Ring’ in Cardiff Bay.The most recent publication of his work is in ‘Modern British Sculpture’ by Guy Portello.

Sculptor

Artist in bronze, wood and stone, and teacher, born in Badulla, Ceylon, she studied at Slade School of Fine Art, 1956–60, and Swansea College of Art, 1961–2, obtaining her master’s degree in fine art from South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education in Cardiff, where she lived, 1987–9. Jackson was art instructor at Coedffranc Youth Centre in south Wales, 1965–6; was teacher/head teacher, special schools, for South Glamorgan Education Authority, 1966–92; from 1994 being environmental artist, Ogwr Groundwork Trust, Ogmore Valley. Among her commissions was the Stackpole Centre Sight Garden, Pembroke, 1993. War and landscape were leading themes in Jackson’s works, which were shown in many group exhibitions, including Young Contemporaries, 1960; Pictures for Welsh Schools, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, 1975; All Women Work 88, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, 1988; Festival Exhibition 91, Collective Gallery, Edinburgh, 1991; and Oriel Contemporary Art, 1996. 

Had a solo show at Galleri Brinken, Stockholm, 1960, later ones including St David’s Hall, Cardiff, 1995. Galleri Brinken, Coleg Harlech in Harlech, Vaughan College in Leicester and Mid-Glamorgan Education Authority hold examples. Her work is in the collections of the National Museum and Gallery of Wales and the National Library of Wales.

Sculptor

Glass plays a significant role in Rebecca Newnham's work. The sculpture is concerned with the natural and botanical world and scientific ideas about how it functions. Following the pandemic, this feels even more urgent to communicate because we sometimes take it for granted, nature and our understanding of how it works demands respect and appreciation.

The glass skin is painted with glass enamel and then fired to make permanent. The colours cannot fade as they become intrinsic. The surface is then cut up and collaged, literally wrapping the painting around curved forms, playing with pixels of the image and facets of refracted light.

The structure of sculptures for the interior are created in timber and for exterior works since 2017, a durable system which incorporates stainless steel with a marble dust render, which is kinder to the environment than alternatives.

Glass Sculptor

A believer in “the fundamental interconnectedness of all things” as coined by Douglas Adams. It’s a humorous truth in a world where global urbanisation has moved many of us away from our deep connections with nature. With deep connection - comes a sense of the value and importance of all we are connected to. I feel this most strongly when in or around the sea – an extraordinary otherworld. My work is inspired by my underwater experiences, the language of bubbles and the amazing world of strange and wonderful marine creatures. I aim to celebrate them and their alien beauty with my work whilst bringing attention to the vital roles they often play in sustaining our ocean ecosystems. Through my work, I want to share my passion and hope that, in the words of Rachel Carson, “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”

The creation of my work involves using traditional hot glass techniques, in non-traditional, environmentally sustainable ways, and repurposing objects and materials to create unique, sculptural work. Hot glass is the perfect vehicle as it’s transparency and movement capture a snapshot of life in a way few materials can.

My journey into art has come via science and technology. I received my MA in Ceramics and Glass from the Royal College of Art in 2018 and have exhibited internationally with work in private collections in Australia, China, Europe, the UK and the United States. I have recently moved to west Wales and joined forces with another glassmaker to establish an environmentally sustainable, carbon friendly studio.

Sculptor

Born in Wales in 1971 and studied Sculpture at Wimbledon School of Art working in a variety of materials and techniques. After graduating he worked for various artists including Sir Antony Caro making sculpture for galleries and scenic art companies. In 1997 he returned to Wales to focus on his own work using different types of metal and often incorporating various elements such as glass, stone and wood. Much of his inspiration comes from nature and the Welsh landscape. His Celtic roots and have a heavy influence as well as the material itself.

Public art commissions are now the main body of his work including ‘who goes there’ Sculpture for Caerphilly Castle and ‘King Edward I’ both commissioned by Cadw. He is currently working on a monumental ‘Seahorse’ for the new Fishguard and Goodwick Art trails commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Painter

Gwyn was born in 1953 in the Conwy Valley, North Wales, in the stunningly beautiful Snowdonia National Park. From an early age, his love for his surroundings was very apparent and he spent his spare time walking, climbing and immersing himself in the beauty that surrounded him. He was educated at Llanrwst Grammar School and then studied Fine Art at Norwich School of Art and Cardiff College of Art during the 1970s.

During the 1980s, Gwyn produced a series of successful fine art screen prints and detailed meticulous paintings of still life and landscapes and he exhibited his work widely in galleries throughout England and Wales.

The demands of family life and a career as Head of Art in large, busy comprehensive schools, meant that for many years he had little time for his own art work. However, an accident, which resulted in the loss of the thumb joint on his right hand, made Gwyn realise that he might never be able to paint again, and this wake up call made him determined to restart painting seriously. He picked up his old pallet knife, not used since his college days, and began to paint with thick oil paint, something that had been milling around in his head for years. Instantly he became aware that he had found the technique and medium that best represented his feelings and emotions about his subject. Since this time he has been very successful and his work is in great demand.

His great love for Snowdonia has always had a huge influence on his work. Gwyn also spends much time in West Wales, walking the cliffs of the ruggedly dramatic coastline and he finds great inspiration in the ever-changing light on the sea and rocks.

He has recently had a number of solo, two man and mixed shows in galleries throughout Wales and the West of England.

While still at college one of his paintings was bought by the Welsh Arts Council on the recommendation of William Scott who was the selector for The National Eisteddfod of Wales and recently the University of Wales bought a painting. His work is also in many private collections in Britain and abroad.

His intention over the next few years is to travel more widely, giving him the opportunity to draw and paint new images from other inspiring landscapes.

Painter

Glass Sculptor

Neil Wilkin’s passion for glassblowing and an enduring love of landscape and what forms it, have been the driving forces behind a lifetime of making. This deep connection to the natural world is central to his work. 

 He uses glass and the processes that form it to explore, celebrate and reflect the richness and extraordinary diversity around him. The colours he uses, hard and soft, absorbing and transmitting light, inform his work both physically and aesthetically. In recent years Neil has harnessed the optical qualities of solid glass in combination with the fluid richness of hot glass to explore new perspectives. He fabricates stainless steel to create larger, site specific installations, both indoor and outdoor. 

Neil’s work is found in public and private collections around the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Hepworth Wakefield and Crafts Council Collection in the UK. 

Textile Artist

Clare McHardy is a screen printing artist enhancing nature’s features with bright colours.

Raised on Caldey Island off the Pembrokeshire coast, Clare has sustained her creative practices from her studies at London College of Fashion where she received a Costume Design Batchelor Degree. Her career has continuously explored the craftsmanship of textiles with her children’s wear and bridal company.

Today, Clare has rediscovered her love of textiles in the form of screen printing. She now experiments with colour on linen and canvas cotton fabrics using botanical and natural lines on exposed screens.

Pembrokeshire’s landscape and coastal scenery inspires Clare’s vivid prints but also her extensive travels across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Painter

Sound Installation

Originally trained as a bespoke furniture designer in Nottingham. Her first concept piece, Chichi the Rocking Piano, was launched at Designersblock in London in 2007 and, following a 3-year tour, named one of 10 best piano re-designs by The Guardian. Subsequent pieces include Dorothy and Bramwell miniatures (exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art Milan), The Restoration Throne (shown at the Milan Museum of Science and Technology) and Hello Stranger, a story-table created for a six-month exhibition at Nhow Milano. A theme of exploring ways for humanity to live in harmony with and as part of Nature can be followed throughout her work. After many years of adventures working around the world with some of today's most exciting pioneers and lecturing as far afield as the National Academy of Fine Art in China, a move to Wales led Sarah to explore creative approaches to improving wellbeing. Her latest project involves creating immersive experiences for people with extreme healthcare needs including mental health and palliative and dementia care patients and unpaid carers. She currently lives close to Upton Castle with her husband, writer Charles Beauclerk, daughter Thea and collie dog Gwir.