THE spring show in Cardigan’s Canfas gallery features a retrospective of one of the UK’s leading artists and sculptors – Carole Hodgson – alongside Pembrokeshire artists Philippa Sibert, with the exhibitions running from April 3-27.

Carole who has lived in St Dogmaels and London since 1964 has exhibited with, inspired and taught some of the world’s most important contemporary artists.

She was born in London, studying at Wimbledon School of Art in 1957-62 and then went on to the Slade.

Hodgson has exhibited at the Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, London UK since 1973 which culminated in a major retrospective of her work at the gallery in 2015.

She is an artist of extraordinary variety and versatility. Her materials have ranged from bronze, glass and gouache on paper to cellulose fibre and concrete. Her influences have been equally eclectic, including ancient Greek sculpture, the Welsh landscape and Edwin Smith's photographs of mantlepieces.

To accompany the exhibition, Joan Bakewell wrote: “We seek the stillness of remote places to soothe our panic at global combust. We find in the deep reaches of rock and ravine a balm to modern anxieties. Hodgson's work both derives from and pays regard to these present sensibilities.[3]”

Canfas Gallery manager Anne Cakebread said: ‘We are incredibly honoured as Carole is bringing some of her sculptures that have never been exhibited outside of London to be displayed here at Canfas.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with such an important British artist.’

Hodgson’s major public sculptures include the River Celebration, commissioned in 1989 for Kingston upon Thames, a bronze sculpture sited on the Old London Road at the Junction of Queen Elizabeth Road.

She has had major solo shows in leading museums and galleries in Britain and around the world. She has participated in solo exhibitions at Angela Flowers Gallery, London; Christies Fine Art Course, London; Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford; and Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin.

Her works are in both private and public collections. Public collections include Arts Council of Great Britain; University College of Wales; Welsh Contemporary Arts Society; and The Department of the Environment, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Downstairs in Oriel 2, Clarbeston Road artist Philippa Sibert will be exhibiting her new series of paintings/collages based on her trip to Japan.

“My time away has inspired me to make this new work on panels and paper. Using cold wax medium, collage, oils and inks I have built up layer upon layer,” said Phillipa.

“This method of layering and scraping back has allowed me to build up the surface in the hope of capturing the many fleeting moments, emotions and colours I experienced during my visit.”