I recently reviewed an exhibit at the Albany Gallery in Roath. The three artist are prime examples of the quality of work which is coming out of Wales. Please read

At first I wasn’t expecting much from an exhibition put on by a gallery above an Italian takeaway. But the three artists on display at the Albany Gallery, Roath left me pleasantly surprised.

All three painters chose similar subject matters, rural Wales, so the paintings work well with one another. But their styles are so different, which allows a great deal of variety as well.

Walking into the gallery, the first artist you come across is Wendy Murphy. Originally from Kent, she moved to Wales in 1990 to become a full-time artist. Ms Murphy has been exhibiting at the Albany Galley for a number of years.

Her work catches the eye because of her use colour and the way she paints gives a sense of movement and life to her work. Both her still-lifes and her landscapes have clearly taken a lot of inspiration from the post-Impressionist artist, Vincent van Gogh. Her “Daffodils” and “Geraniums” are similar in style and composition of van Gough’s famous “Sunflowers”.

She has said: “I draw great emotional support from walking in the Welsh hills and listening to music, which I find uplifting. I gain inspiration from direct observation of the landscapes, people that I know and things from my everyday life.”

She adds “The painting process I find both painful and exciting. I encourage serendipity by working quickly and allowing the paint a certain amount of freedom.”