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Life begins at 40
Having just celebrated 40 years in the art business, the Gallery in the Square, Usk, is proving the old adage ‘life begins at 40’ right by presenting one of its most ambitious exhibitions to kick off its 41st year.
T
he gallery, housed in an old chapel on the corner of Usk’s historic Twyn Square, is in its second generation of
family ownership with current owner David Sansom having been at the helm for the last 12 years. Over the last six years, he has worked with
local artist Elin-Sian Blake who has developed into one of the country’s leading equestrian artists. When she recently ‘changed tack’ and
showed him a canvas with a rugby theme, an idea formed which has now become ICONS, a collection of rugby-inspired artwork – the first rugby exhibition in the gallery’s history. David says that Elins definitive painting
style can be seen in this new work. “There is a synergy between the powerful
horses that Elin normally favours, and the muscular form of a rugby player in full flight. She has captured the very essence of the passion and ‘hwyl’ of what is, to many, a national obsession,” he says. The exhibition previews at the end of
February in the company of one of the artist’s subjects, ex-British Lion and Wales legend Scott Quinnell. Also as part of the exhibition, author and
broadcaster Carolyn Hitt will be at the gallery signing copies of her new book Wales Play in Red, disproving the notion of ‘what happens on tour, stays on tour’ especially when Carolyn is around. Combining the passion of a fan with the
insight of an award winning journalist, the book draws on the best of Carolyn’s sports writing and tells the story of Welsh rugby over the last 10 years. David is planning to use extracts from the
book alongside the paintings to offer the viewer an extended insight into the picture before them. The gallery also houses an impressive
collection of fine art from Renaissance to Neoclassicism, through to Victorian and early to mid 20th century paintings in a unique collaboration with Big Sky Fine Art, a company set up to showcase and supply high-
quality and authentic fine art in a way which is both accessible and unpretentious. The collection is eclectic in its nature and
regularly updated. You will discover works here that you
would normally only expect to find in fashionable big city galleries but without the accompanying city prices. The collection currently includes work
from pre eminent Welsh artists Will Roberts, Gyrth Russell and Joseph Herman among others. When the gallery was first opened in 1972,
it was predominantly used as a showcase for the framing workshop which formed the basis of the business. This professional framing service is still offered at the gallery, and there are many professional artists alongside the general public that take advantage of the friendly and knowledgeable advice available The gallery is open Monday to Friday
10am – 5pm. Saturday 9am -1pm and at other times by appointment. www.
galleryinthesquare.net.
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