| West Wales Schools of
the Arts Graduate Show 2007
Wed 25th July to Sun 9th September 2007
Spanning the depths and heights of creativity in
all its multifarious dimensions, are eight graduate artists representing
the West Wales School of the Arts, Carmarthen. Selected for both
their challenging and inspired insight together with technical
skills developed to a high degree the works on display will certainly
wake the slumbering senses.
A spectacular work sighted on our sculpture trail by Tom Fabian who studied 3D in the Landscape is a pertinent comment on the
sustainability of our woodland heritage. He was instrumental in
organising a memorable iron pouring at Whitland – casting
the core of an ancient oak tree.
This can be viewed in the gallery, alongside symbolic sculptures
of Stephen Coles, seemingly Wagnerian, alchemical, in their dramatic
forms, from generative crucibles to suspended horned, unspeaking
masks.
Beverley Lovett’s orchestrations of colour and line in her
large-scale series based on global warming are painted works on
aluminium using household gloss and enamel paints. She skilfully
sets up an aesthetic dialogue between order and chaos, freedom
and control, sometimes the full on sensuality veils it’s
serious intent.
Mark Hilde’s clay constructs, are a refined and harmonised
interplay of architectural forms and the fluidity or fixity of
natural forms creates a contemplative feel to his works.
Frequent visits to the coastal regions of west Wales inspires
such works as ‘Hurricane’
Textile artist Lisa Thomas is showing panels from her 3D children’s
book of Welsh fantasy tales. These are colourful renderings with
printed text and relief images using re-cycled materials, great
fun.
By way of complete contrast, Sarah Lees sombre oil paintings speak
of the scaring of flesh and the more torturous aspects of the
human condition. While clothed in anonymity, any facial features
are intentionally obscured. The contrast with the cold objectness
of these works with the issues of brutality (scaring seems to
be from without) underpins these deeply moving works.
Guided largely by instinct and imagination, an open-ended approach
to combing unusual forms and materials is evident in the sculptural
works of Laila Williams who is exhibiting imaginative chrysalis
and plant forms in metal, wood and plastic sculpture.
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