ARTIST TALKS: PAST EXHIBITIONS
2 May, 2 – 3.30pm
Artists Adéọlá Dewis, Becky Adams, Laura Thomas, and Billy Adams will look back at their past exhibitions, projects, and work at Llantarnam Grange, as a way to reflect on how their different practices have evolved over the years.
These short talks will be followed by an in conversation with current director Louise Jones-Williams.
Book a free place here.
This is part of our Art Party, a day of celebration full of creative activities, talks, and cake to mark 60 years as an arts centre in Cwmbran! Find out more here.
This is part of Llantarnam Grange 60, a year-long celebration of 60 years of creativity in Cwmbran. Funded by the Colwinston Charitable Trust.
Adéọlá Dewis
Adéọlá is a Trinbagonian artist and carnival scholar living and working in Wales. She is interested in folk and indigenous performances engaging discourse around identity, diaspora and ritual. Her practice involves drawing, painting, performance art, spoken word and writing. She is particularly drawn to performances of transformation (Carnival and masquerade) and African diaspora spirituality.
Adéọlá was the first artist in our Billboard Gallery in 2022, creating the work Dancing Outside Opens the Road in collaboration with photographer Catriona Abuneke. Through this, she worked with four women to explore costume and adornment, capturing the joy and spirit of each of them and translating this into a striking public artwork.
Becky Adams
Becky Adams is a collector of stories, discarded objects and old things and uses them to make artworks that tell a new tale. Becky worked with Llantarnam Grange as a workshiop tutor, making paper with very enthusiastic small children; exhibited work, including her first solo show ‘A Curious World of Becky Adams’, 2010, In 2019 she created a piece for Gallery In A Box, a portable art gallery containing 12 works by contemporary artists.
“I absolutely love Llantarnam Grange. It is a wonderful place found in perhaps the most unexpected of places – and that is its charm. On visiting, there is always the warmest of welcomes and fantastic exhibitions to explore. my entire creative life has woven in and out of the fabric of Llantarnam Grange and I love you all quite madly!”
Laura Thomas
Laura Thomas is an established woven textile artist, designer and maker specialising in producing unconventional textiles for contemporary spaces. Laura has a long relationship with Llantarnam Grange, taking part in several group shows since 2009 as well as curating two exhibitions group exhibitions Resonant Colour, 2011 and Blanket Coverage, 2019.
“Llantarnam Grange has long held a special place in my heart; I cherish it as an exhibitor, curator, and visitor. The support I have received from Llantarnam Grange in developing both my exhibiting and curatorial practice over the last two decades has been pivotal to my professional development, for which I am truly grateful.”
Billy Adams
Billy Adams is a potter whose work explores and experiments with aspects of landscape. Billy first came across Llantarnam Grange back in 1988 when he was an artist in resident and part-time lecturer at Pontypool College. He has exhibited a number of times, with two solo exhibitions Petrified Landscape in 1999 and Eroded Perception in 2012.
“Myself and my students benefited greatly not only from the exhibitions and events, but the creative environment of the centre. I have seen it grow and develop over the years to become one of the major applied arts centres in Wales. Llantarnam Grange is more than an arts centre, or building, it’s a place where the artistic community can grow and develop, and where people can come and see great art. Knowing how it’s evolved over the last 60 years, I can’t wait to see the next 60!”
