The Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery

Born in Llanrwst, Gwyn Roberts studied Fine Art at Norwich School of Art in the 1970s.

Gwyn was not always a landscape artist, nor has he always painted with a palette knife. Throughout the 1980s, he exhibited widely in galleries across Britain, and, during that time, his use of paint was intricate and he often painted flowers and still life.

The dual demands of a teaching career and raising a family put his painting on hold, until a few years ago, when he had a wake-up call: he broke his thumb. The realisation that he had nearly lost his ability to paint sent him back into the studio. Now, with restricted movement in his thumb joint, his use of paint has changed dramatically. What could have been a restriction has proved liberating, causing him to develop a new freedom of style. He has switched from fine brushwork to thick oil paint applied with confident strokes of the palette knife.

Landscape has become his main preoccupation, particularly the landscape of home: Snowdonia. Another abiding love is the scenery of the Ceredigion coast near Llangrannog, where he spends much of his free time. “The change of the light on the sea means it’s never boring. It doesn’t matter what the weather is, as long as it isn’t foggy, it’s incredibly exciting looking over the sea.” Gwyn often surprises himself with his choice of colour. Each painting begins with a sketch on the canvas using oil pastels; after that, the application of paint is a totally instinctive process. The colours in Gwyn’s paintings can seem subtle, but, a canvas dominated by slate blues may, on closer inspection, yield flashes of indigo, orange or vivid green. He may use big sweeps of the palette knife, but Gwyn still has an eye for detail.

Gwyn has had a great deal of success over the last few years and his work is in great demand. He has had exhibitions in The Albany Gallery, Cardiff; Oriel Tegfryn Gallery, Menai Bridge; Martin’s Gallery, Cheltenham and Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw near Pwllheli. He has also exhibited his work in The Great Atlantic Gallery, Monmouth; The Fountain Gallery, Llandeilo; The Attic Gallery, Swansea; Oriel Pen y Fan, Brecon and Galeri Betws-y-Coed

Gwyn Roberts

Yn enedigol o Lanrwst, astudiodd Gwyn Roberts Gelfyddyd Gain yng Ngholeg Celf Norwich yn ystod y 70au.

Nid oedd Gwyn bob amser yn paentio tirluniau nac yn defnyddio cyllell paled. Trwy gydol yr 80au, roedd e’n arddangos ei waith mewn orielau ledled Prydain, ac, roedd ei arddull yn fanwl a’I destun yn flodau a bywyd llonydd.

Gyda gyrfa mewn addysg a magu teulu, roedd prinder amser i baentio, ond daeth tro ar fyd pan dorrodd ei fawd a sbardunodd hyn iddo ail-afael yn ei baentio. Ond erbyn hyn, oherwydd y niwed i’w fawd, mae ei ddefnydd o baent wedi newid yn llwyr. Mae e nawr yn defnyddio’r paent yn drwchus mewn arddull rhydd, hyderus a llawn egni.

Tirluniau yw prif destun ei waith, yn enwedig tirlun ei ardal enedigol, sef Eryri. Ardal arall sydd yn agos at ei galon, yw’r arfordir o gwmpas Llangrannog yng Ngheredigion. “Dydy edrych ar y môr fyth yn ddiflas, gan fod y golau yn newid trwy’r amser. Pan nad oes niwl, mae’r olygfa bob amser yn ddiddorol.” Yn aml iawn, mae Gwyn yn synnu ei hun gyda’i ddewis o liw. Mae’n dechrau pob llun gyda braslun mewn pasteli olew, cyn iddo ddefnyddio paent olew trwchus yn reddfol ar y cynfas. Er bod ei ddefnydd o liw yn ymddangos yn gyfyng ar yr olwg gyntaf, wrth edrych yn graff mae’n bosib gweld amrywiaeth drawiadol o liwiau. Er ei fod yn defnyddio cyllell paled mewn arddull rhydd, mae dal manylder yn ei waith.

Mae Gwyn wedi cael llawer o lwyddiant dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf ac mae galw mawr am ei waith. Mae e wedi cael arddangosfeydd yn Oriel Albany, Caerdydd; Oriel Tegfryn, Porthaethwy; Oriel Martin, Cheltenham ac Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw ger Pwllheli. Mae e hefyd wedi arddangos ei waith yn Oriel y Great Atlantic, Trefynwy; Oriel Fountain, Llandeilo; Oriel Attic, Abertawe; Oriel Pen y Fan, Aberhonddu a Galeri Betws-y-Coed.

To see a selection of Gwyn Roberts’ work, please visit this web site:
www.greatatlantic.co.uk/gwynroberts