There is one artist who always makes me think about her work long after I have visited her exhibitions. That artist is Shani Rhys James. She was born in Australia but emigrated to Wales as a child. I have visited several of her exhibitions and have also been fortunate to visit a private collector’s home and viewed her paintings up close. Her paintings are often autobiographical and always incredibly powerful.
HEAD NO. 1 (2003)
Image courtesy of http://www.walesartsreview.org/in-conversation-with-shani-rhys-james/
When I look into those eyes I can not help but feel that they are boring into my very soul. They are not comfortable viewing yet I feel strangely drawn to them.
Green Chrysanthemum. Image © Shani Rhys James/courtesy of Martin Tinney Gallery
Image from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/27f7be61-fbf0-3b1d-8da7-3fcd952ba960
Shani also paints flowers. But these are not fluffy, chocolate box flowers. You really have to get up close to them to appreciate the thick impasto painting where you can see the actual finger marks or pallet knife strokes dug deep into the paint.
If you would like to see her work in real life then visit The Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff from 2nd March 2017 – 1st April 2017 where her new exhibition I Paint Therefore I Am will be held. Further information is available from http://www.artwales.com/exhibition-mtg-en.php?locationID=213
Her website can be found at http://shanirhysjames.com
Many thanks to Shani herself for permission to include her amazing work on my blog.
Tracy J Hughes Art 