AMMAN VALLEY ART GROUP

The annual painting exhibitions of the Amman Valley Art Group have become familiar events in the town since the group's formation in 1958. Since then their work has been exhibited in various locations around Ammanford, including the Miners' Welfare Hall, but since 1977 our local artists have been on view amongst the bookshelves of Ammanford library. Ammanford's first custom-built library was built in Talbot Road in 1977, when the swimming pool section of the old YMCA/Technical College was demolished to house the new library, but nothing grander than a 'porta cabin' structure emerged from the rubble. Then, in 1999, Carmarthenshire County Council built a state of the art library on Ammanford Square, complete with an museum, art gallery, reference section, Internet cafe and all the trappings of a 21st century palace of culture, and this has become the venue for all art and photographic exhibitions since then.

The first recorded meeting of the Amman Valley Art Group was on Wednesday 19th November 1958. It soon had its first Studio above May Madoc Thomas's sewing shop in College Street called Gabes. Early members where Ken Etheridge, Jefferson Thomas, Gwynfi Phillips, Glenys Rowlands, David Reynolds, May Madoc Thomas, Avrille Payton and Joel Williams. In 1999 a retrospective exhibition of paintings by the founder members of the Group was held to commemorate forty years of artistic endeavors in the Amman Valley.

Exhibitions were held in several locations around Ammanford as well as in London. In the 1970s it was Jefferson Thomas's painting classes that kept the group together. His skill in painting, especially water colours, was envied by all. Today the group has 28 members that meet at least twice a week at the Studio with an added extra night for portrait painting. In the summer on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon members go out painting together. The group operates, amongst its members, monthly painting exercises on set subjects, fun nights, a Xmas dinner in a local restaurant, a Xmas party at its studio and an annual trip to see a gallery and a stop-off for painting before going home.

The group also organises arts workshops and demonstrations in various locations around Ammanford and these are open to the general public. Their organised exhibitions vary, depending on the location of the Three Towns' Exhibition. This travels around yearly to the three towns of Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford, Carmarthen Sketch Club being the organisers for the 2002 event. That year there was only an exhibition in the summer for the tourists and one in the winter for the Christmas shoppers. As can be seen, the Group is very active and is always on the lookout for new ideas and for new artists for the demonstrations.

Some paintings by Amman Valley Art Group Members
(Click on the painting to see a larger image)

Talley Abbey (Acrylic)
Colin Jones
Waiting for Lunch (Acrylic)
Colin Jones
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Fishguard Harbour
Patrick Murphy (Watercolour)
Old Ammanford Square
Patrick Murphy (Watercolour)
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Our next exhibition is the:
AMMAN VALLEY ART GROUP
SUMMER EXHIBITION
Presenting of the Jefferson Thomas Memorial Cup
at the Ammanford Library Gallery
Monday 10th June to Friday 21st June 2002
Open daily 9.30am until 5pm
and Saturday mornings
Our next outing is to the
ARTISTS & ILLUSTRATORS
EXHIBITION

on the 28th July 2002 in LONDON.

We will be going by Mini Bus from Ammanford.

Cost is £15 and is open to non members.
CONTACT
To contact the group, E-mail, Colin Jones (Chairman) at:
cjonesgwalia@skynow.net
(Click on the e-mail address)

 
 



Date this page last updated: August 23, 2010