Two local artists display work inspired by west Wales (From Western Telegraph)

Two local artists display work inspired by west Wales

Celtic Images Gallery at Hilton Court Gardens near Roch, is currently hosting a fascinating exhibition by two locally based artists, who draw their inspiration from the natural heritage of west Wales.

Eric Lees, a landscape photographer, who lives near Cardigan, has been capturing the wild beauty of the coast and landscape in mid and west Wales for the last ten years.

He developed a serious interest in photography in the late 1970s in south Manchester, and his most notable early work culminated in a solo exhibition entitled Up North, a dramatic photographic essay of the Lancashire mill towns and their people.

Since moving to Wales in the early 1990s, his photography has earned him much acclaim, focusing on landscapes, latterly in a distinctive panoramic format.

Alongside Eric's photographs are recent paintings by Llangwm based artist Graham Brace. Graham is enjoying a growing reputation for his highly detailed, representational pictures, depicting Pembrokeshire's coast and countryside, capturing the often dramatic light conditions unique to this part of the world. Textural subjects, tree and rock forms also hold a particular fascination for him.

He works in a mixture of media, but his pictures are distinctive because of his extensive use of coloured pencils. Graham is a founder member of the United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society, which has been set up to promote work in this medium.

The exhibition runs until Friday, September 19th, and is open daily from noon until 5.30pm.