Forty@Forty
To mark her significant birthday, Abergavenny based artist Louise Collis has produced forty paintings of places that have been special to her in her 40 years. An exhibition of the collection is due to be launched in Caerphilly on Sat 4th June.
The artist returns to Y Galeri Caerffili, following her 365 Landscape exhibition in 2015. This year long project took Louise 21,000 miles up and down the country in search of dramatic vistas to use for her inspiration to paint a landscape every single day. It culminated in a highly successful exhibition documenting her travels, the changing seasons and weather conditions.
Her exhibition this year comprises of 40 paintings to mark her 40th birthday. After the mammoth task of painting 365 paintings last year, this show must have been a doddle!
In her own words Louise sums up the exhibition:
‘Some people may celebrate with a big party involving lots of alcohol and silliness, some people might go on a holiday in the sun, some people might not want to celebrate it at all. But me – I've decided to mark my significant birthday by producing forty paintings of places that have been special to me in my 40 years. The paintings include Bath- where I went to University, the Gower – the location of many camping weekends and days out, Devon, Cornwall, Seil Island-Scotland
Bath from Alexandra Park Morte Point from Woolacombe Snow Glimpses, New Tredegar
which recently stole my heart, and of course the South Wales Valleys where I was born, raised and which always inspire me’.
After graduating from Bath Spa University in 1998 Louise spent time working full time in Bath. At the time she was also producing artwork and promoting herself as an illustrator, taking part in group exhibitions and exploring themes and techniques. After moving back to Wales she found herself concentrating on her work as an exhibition designer and found it difficult to devote time to her artwork. Her passion for landscape painting was re-ignited by a winter break in St Ives. She now works as a professional artist and has not looked back since.
Forty@Forty is at Y Galeri Caerffili from 31 May until 2 July 2016. Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Free admission
