Art exhibition showcases residents’ creativity during lockdown
AN online exhibition which will also take place at the Queen Street Gallery in Neath next month showcases the ‘creativity of lockdown’ by the people of Neath Port Talbot.
First time curator Anna Hale put together the exhibition after asking on social media for examples of photographs, paintings and other art carried out by Neath Port Talbot residents during the coronavirus lockdown period.
The exhibition is online now and a physical version will be shown at the Queen Street Gallery in Neath from August 1 to 29 with a percentage of any sales going to the RSPCA’S
Llys Nini centre in Swansea.
Anna Hale said: “This is the first time I have curated an exhibition and I just wanted to celebrate and show how people turned to being creative during lockdown.
“I advertised the exhibition through social media and received artworks from children, artists, amateur artists and people who just found art helped them through lockdown.”
The link to the online exhibition is at https:// ahpottery6.wixsite.com/ lockdownartwork-quee/ gallery
The artworks are many and varied and include “Give me a kiss” – a stunning photograph of a horse encountered by Jeff Griffiths on a visit to Cilybebyll in the Swansea Valley.
Steven Evans painted “A misty, damp day at Brombil Reservoir”.
He explained: ”I have lived in Port Talbot all my life and paint mostly scenes around my area, mainly from my own photos and sketches. I enjoy painting landscapes, occasionally portraits and pet portraits. Normally I look for unusual scenes or something unexpected working in oils, acrylics or watercolours which I find more spontaneous and free.”
Richard Parfitt created “Fallen, chopped logs” – faces painted on the ends of tree logs. He said: “I’ve done over 40 ‘pieces’ since lockdown began. All are on fallen/chopped logs in Seven Sisters.”
Geraldine Baker painted “Company of sheep”. She said: “I live in the Rhyddings in Neath. This image was painted with soft pastel in the first weeks of the lockdown. I was inspired by daily walks in the Gilfach area. I hope to convey the intense blue of the post lockdown skies and a sense of solitude.”