Treasures: Adventures in Archaeology

Exhibitions to see in Wales!!

Treasures: Adventures in Archaeology
26 January — 30 October 2016
Step into the world of famous explorers and travel on an adventure uncovering treasures from around the world at this exciting new exhibition at National Museum Cardiff.

To celebrate 2016, The Year of Adventure in Wales, we're hosting extraordinary treasures from popular culture including the hat, whip and jacket of Indiana Jones, crystal skulls, Inca gold and early finds such as Egyptian Mummies.

Book your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment for this inspirational exhibition.

Albany Gallery Summer Show in Cardiff June 27th- Sept 6th

Summer Show in Albany Gallery, Cardiff 

starts June 27th until Sept 6th

A changing exhibition of work by more than 60 artists including Ceri Auckland Davies, Gwyn Roberts, David Barnes, Jane Corsellis, Zoe James-Williams, Muriel Delahaye, William Selwyn, Sion McIntyre, Nick Holly, Will Roberts and many more.

"Inspired by Dylan", An art exhibition by Zoe's Ostreme and Swansea Grand Theatre Art Group

"Inspired by Dylan" 

An art exhibition by Zoe's Ostreme and Swansea Grand Theatre Art Group

To celebrate Dylan Thomas 100th anniversary Zoe’s Ostreme and Grand Theatre Art Group are exhibiting paintings inspired by Dylan Thomas and his works including Under Milkwood. They have used vintage pages of Dylan Thomas’ text (some of which are from Oxfame Bookshop) to paint on in a form of collage as well as being inspired by his powerful quotes and writings. This has created a exciting collection of paintings that will be intermingled around the bookshop in support of Oxfam.

Jen, one of the artists exhibiting said “ In this exhibition a picture literally paints a thousand words.”

Zoë’s Art Group includes members of professional artist Zoë James-Williams art classes which she teaches at The Ostreme Centre, Mumbles and Swansea Grand Theatre. Zoë is a contemporary figurative artist and the first Artist in Residence in Swansea Grand Theatre. Many of the group also exhibited professionally and are excited to be supporting such a great cause.

“We were delighted to be invited by Oxfam Bookshop to display our Dylan inspired work as it is the perfect compliment and will enable the viewer to see his work in a different light and we are delighted to support Oxfam in any way we can.” says artist Zoë James-Williams.

Many of the artists exhibiting will be present to discuss their work at the Create Night hosts by Oxfam bookshop on June 17th. 

All are welcome!

Links to Dylan

Zoe's Art Group participating in The Many Faces of Dylan Event

Some of the groups art work inspired by Dylan Thomas that will be on display in the exhibition

Beyond El Dorado Last Chance to see

Beyond El Dorado 

Until March 23rd in The British Museum

Organised with Museo del Oro, Bogotá, this exhibition explores the rich and diverse cultures of Colombia before the 16th-century arrival of the Spanish.

This is a superb exhibition and a fascinating insight into a rich and mysterious culture who were highly skilled and had a huge respect for nature. If you have the chance go before it is gone!

The myths of El Dorado

For centuries Europeans were dazzled by the legend of El Dorado – literally ‘the golden one’. Many different stories were told of El Dorado – sometimes it was imagined as a lost city of gold, sometimes as a man covered in powdered gold who plunged into the middle of Lake Guatavita (near modern Bogotá). The exhibition uncovers the fascinating truth behind some of these myths. Unlike in Europe, gold was not valued as currency in pre-Hispanic Colombia. Instead it had great symbolic meaning, facilitating all kinds of social and spiritual transformations. It was one way the elite could publicly assert their rank, both in life and in death.

Complex craftsmanship

The exhibition features over 200 fascinating objects from Museo del Oro, Bogotá, and around 100 from the British Museum’s collection. They show technologically advanced and sophisticated goldworking techniques, including the use of an alloy composed of gold and copper, and the use of textiles, feathers, stones and ceramics. These beautiful and detailed works display a level of complex craftsmanship that perfectly marries art and skill, and show the differences in techniques and designs across the region.

Discover ancient Colombia

With a focus on the craftsmanship of peoples we know as the Muisca, Quimbaya, Calima and Tairona, the exhibition presents the complex network of societies in ancient Colombia – a hidden world of distinct and vibrant cultures. The remarkable objects reveal glimpses of these cultures’ spiritual lives, including rituals of hallucinogenic transformation, engagement with animal spirits and objects animated through music, dancing and sunlight.

A unique exhibition

The exhibition uncovers the extraordinary metalworking skill of the peoples of ancient Colombia through a unique collection of objects, some of which are being displayed in the UK for the first time.

The Vikings Life and Legend, The British Museum

6 March – 22 June 2014
Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery
Supported by BP

• The first major exhibition on Vikings at the British Museum for over 30 years.
• Features many new archaeological discoveries and objects never seen before in the UK alongside important Viking Age artefacts from the British Museum’s own collection and elsewhere in Britain and Ireland.
• New interpretations place warfare and warrior identity at the centre of what it meant to be a Viking; cultural contact was often violent, and the transportation of looted goods and slaves reflects the role of Vikings as both raiders and traders.
• This exhibition will be the first in The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, part of the new World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre that opens later in 2014. The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery is the British Museum’s first purpose built space for temporary exhibitions

My Musings

A fantastic exhibition that should not be missed if you have any interest in this period at all!! A huge array of exhibits that really bring the Vikings to life. It gives more depth of knowledge about their life. They had culture, a social order mixed with brutality and ruthlessness. I had also, no idea that their influence spread so wide and in turn where so influenced by such an eclectic mix of cultures. 

A real highlight was the remodeled warship. It was an awesome sight and really put the scale of their achievements in perspective. 

the onl;y criticisms were that it is a bit of a bun fight at the moment so hard to get close and personal with the smaller artifacts. Also it really could have done with a few Vikings models to get an idea of their jewellery and costumes as worn instead of just in glass cases.

A fascinating Cultural show special on Viking Art

Viking Art Link Culture Show Special

Matisse Documentary

Must see the documentary on Matisse before his new exhibition at Tate Modern of his cutouts. Fascinating to hear about his drive and motivation.


Matisse Documentary on iplayer

Description of exhibition due in Tate Modern

Tate Modern: Exhibition

17 April – 7 September 2014

Henri Matisse is a giant of modern art. This landmark show explores the final chapter in his career in which he began ‘carving into colour’ and his series of spectacular cut-outs was born.

The exhibition represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see so many of the artist’s works in one place and discover Matisse’s final artistic triumph.

In his late sixties, when ill health first prevented Matisse from painting, he began to cut into painted paper with scissors to make drafts for a number of commissions. In time, Matisse chose cut-outs over painting: he had invented a new medium.

From snowflowers to dancers, circus scenes and a famous snail, the exhibition showcases a dazzling array of 120 works made between 1936 and 1954. Bold, exuberant and often large in scale, the cut-outs have an engaging simplicity coupled with incredible creative sophistication.

The exhibition marks an historic moment, when treasures from around the world can be seen together. Tate’s The Snail 1953 is shown alongside its sister workMemory of Oceania 1953 and Large Composition with Masks 1953 at 10 metres long. A photograph of Matisse’s studio reveals that these works were initially conceived as a unified whole, and this is the first time they will have been together since they were made. Matisse’s famous series of Blue Nudes represent the artist’s renewed interest in the figure.

London is first to host, before the exhibition travels to New York at the Museum of Modern Art and after which the works return to galleries and private owners around the world.

Opening Night for Swansea Print Workshop at the Ceri Richards Gallery, Swansea

Great time at the opening night for the Swansea Print Workshop at Ceri Richards Gallerly. A wide variety of prints and some drawings inspired by Dylan Thomas and his works. A fascinating array of talent and a must see exhibition. On until March 29th

Dylan Thomas Dialogues: an exhibition of contemporary printmaking

The exhibition reveals artists’ responses to the theme ‘belonging’. Working with selected texts from Dylan Thomas and contemporary writers Rachel Trezise and Maggie Shipstead, winners of the international Swansea University, ‘Dylan Thomas Prize’, the printmakers journey to old haunts and make new discoveries of self and place.

They remember childhood experiences, make fresh connections with familiar spaces, consider the role of artist and writer in society and rediscover the value of family, community and country.

The exhibition celebrates contemporary printmaking from eighteen established and emerging Wales-based artists set against a backdrop of Thomas’ birthplace.

Alongside the exhibition will feature a 2003 collection of prints based on Thomas’ poem, Especially when the October wind.

Dylan by Jane Jones, using Tar

Exhibition catalogue, Very well produced and lovely keepsake.

Judith Stroud

Jackie Ford

David Barron 

Ruth Parmiter, (my amazing print tutor at art college!)

Opening night. 

Drawing Exhibition at The Albany Gallery, Cardiff

 

 

 

Some of my new work that will be going up for The Drawing Exhibition at The Albany Gallery in Cardiff. Starts Jan 10th

Wild Life Photographer of the Year 2013

If you want to see an amazing exhibition and love photography and wildlife you certainly won't go wrong with a visit to the Wild Life Photographer of the Year exhibition on at The National History Museum open until March 23rd 2014. I am doubly thrilled it's also on tour and coming to The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff March 29th-June 22nd 2014  For more details of the tour go to the link below.

Wild Life Photographer of The Year Exhibition Link

Essence of elephants: South African photographer Greg du Toit beat almost 43,000 entries from 96 countries to be crowned this year's winner with his enigmatic portrait of African elephants in the Northern Tuli Game reserve in Botswana. The image was taken from a hide at ground-level using a slow shutter speed to create an atmosphere and show the giant animals in a ghostly way

Mother's little headful: Udayan Rao Pawar's image shows gharial crocodiles on the banks of the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, India - an area increasingly under threat from illegal sand mining and fishing. The hatchlings swam onto a female's head, presumably because they felt safe there, said the young photographer

 

Christmas Exhibition Albany Gallery, Cardiff starting Nov 8th 2013

 

Christmas Exhibition News

 

One of my paintings exhibited in The Albany Gallery Christmas Exhibition starting Nov 8th

 

My First Ballety Class, Watercolour and Ink

 

www.albanygallery.com

 

www.zoejameswilliams.com

Christmas Exhibitions in Swansea and Cardiff

Christmas Exhibitions

I have 2 exhibitions coming up this Christmas.

The Christmas Show

Oriel Ceri Richards Gallery, Swansea University

Nov 9th-Dec 20th 2013

 

For more info please click the link below

 

Christmas Exhibition at The Oriel Ceri Richards Gallery

 

All welcome to the opening on Nov 9th and they offer 10% discount on that day only.

 

One of my paintings exhibited is

The Window Seat,

watercolour

 

 

The Christmas Exhibition

 The Albany Gallery, Cardiff

Nov 8th-Dec 31st 2013

 

The opening is Nov 8th

 

You can see my paintings exhibited on the link below

 

The Christmas Exhibition, Albany Gallery, Cardiff

 This is one of my paintings in the exhibition,

I Saw Three Ships,

 watercolour and ink.

Facing the Modern: The Portrait In Vienna

Facing the Modern: The Portrait In Vienna
1900 at The National Gallery, London Oct 9-Jan 12th.
A major exhibition for the National Gallery including paintings from Klimt and Schiele. I cannot wait. The last time I saw an exhibition of these artists all togeter was when I was on a school trip. It was to see an Impressionist exhibition. It was so busy you couldn't get near the paitings to see them. Also with impressionist paitnings your really need to stand back. Not possible at all at this time. My friend and I got so fed up we went to explore the rest of the gallery and found a Klimt and schiele exhibition on with no many people in it!! I was in love. AMAZING pictures. Some surprisingly large and quite overwhelming. Two different styles but superb technicians and a belief in their unique visions. I have been a fan ever since and an't wait to go and see this. Don't miss it if you can.
Description
During the great flourishing of modern art in fin-de-siecle Vienna, artists of that city focused on images of individuals. Their portraits depict artists, patrons, families, friends, intellectual allies, and society
celebrities from the upwardly mobile middle classes. Viewed as a whole, the images allow us to reconstruct the subjects' shifting identities as the Austro-Hungarian Empire underwent dramatic political changes, from the 1867 Ausgleich (Compromise) to the end of World War I. This is viewed as a time when
the avant-garde overthrew the academy, yet Facing the Modern tells a more
complex story, through thought-provoking texts by leading art historians. The exhibition examine paintings by innovative artists such as Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele alongside most of their predecessors, blurring the conventionally-held distinctions between 19th-century and early-20th-century
art, and revealing surprising continuities in the production and consumption of
portraits.