# The Welsh Group

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**The Welsh Group** (Welsh: *Y Grŵp Cymreig*) is an artists' collective, with the purpose of exhibiting and "giving a voice" to the visual arts in [Wales](/source/Wales).

## Beginnings

The group began in 1948 as the South Wales Group, consisting of both professional and amateur artists.[1][2][3][4] The group's initial conception was a response to the [Royal Cambrian Academy](/source/Royal_Cambrian_Academy_of_Art)'s relatively weak representation from [south Wales](/source/South_Wales) at that time.[5] In the foreword to the South Wales Group’s first exhibition catalogue, David Bell wrote "It is the purpose of the Group to establish a new link between the artists of South Wales and their public".[4]

During the 1960s the South Wales Group had begun exhibiting further afield in [north](/source/North_Wales) and [mid Wales](/source/Mid_Wales) and into [Bristol](/source/Bristol) and [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury). The group adopted its current, broader title of The Welsh Group by 1975,[6] by which time it had also become a fully professional artists' group and, though its south east tendency is still an issue of some contention, the group had expanded its membership beyond south Wales[4] (including a number who are also members of the Royal Cambrian Academy and/or the [56 Group Wales](/source/56_Group_Wales), a splinter group initiated in 1956 when the South Wales Group failed to become a southern Academy).[6][4]

## 21st century

In 2008, an exhibition curated and researched by Welsh Group member Ceri Thomas and funded by [The National Library of Wales](/source/The_National_Library_of_Wales), [Arts Council of Wales](/source/Arts_Council_of_Wales), [Contemporary Art Society for Wales](/source/Contemporary_Art_Society_for_Wales), and the Welsh Group, was launched at the National Library of Wales, ([Aberystwyth](/source/Aberystwyth)), before touring to the [Royal Cambrian Academy](/source/Royal_Cambrian_Academy_of_Art), and [Newport Museum & Art Gallery](/source/Newport_Museum). The exhibition, *Mapping The Welsh Group at 60*, included work by current and past members spanning a period from soon after the [second world war](/source/World_War_II) to work completed in the twenty-first century, just after [Welsh devolution](/source/Government_of_Wales_Act_1998). At the exhibition launch [Welsh Government](/source/Welsh_Government) Heritage Minister at the time [Alun Ffred Jones](/source/Alun_Ffred_Jones) highlighted the group's importance: "The Welsh Group's 60th anniversary exhibition is a major event for the arts in Wales, bringing together work from talented Welsh artists old and new".[7] A fully illustrated colour book published by Diglot Books accompanied the exhibition.[8][9]

Today[when?] the group exhibits in Wales and internationally, including exchange exhibitions with visual art groups in the USA[10][11] and Germany.[12]

## Membership

Full membership is made up of approximately 40 Welsh or Wales-based artists,[when?][2][4] including:[13]

- Sue Hiley Harris
- Paul Edwards
- Heather Eastes
- Anthony Evans
- Christine Evans
- Veronica Gibson
- Chris Griffin
- Jacqueline Jones
- Angela Kingston
- [Gus Payne](/source/Michael_Gustavius_Payne)
- Jacqueline Alkema
- Jenny Allan
- Lynne Bebb
- Simone Bizzell-Browning
- Paul Brewer
- [Glenys Cour](/source/Glenys_Cour)
- [Ivor Davies](/source/Ivor_Davies_(artist))
- Ken Dukes
- Wendy Earl
- Lorna Edmiston
- [Ken Elias](/source/Ken_Elias)
- Robert Harding
- Mary Husted
- Dilys Jackson
- Maggie James
- Kay Keogh
- Robert Macdonald
- Philip Nicol
- Shirley Anne Owen
- Roy Powell
- Sue Roberts
- Gerda Roper
- Alan Salisbury
- Philippine Sowerby
- Thomasin Toohie
- Philip Watkins
- Jean Walcot
- Jess Woodrow
- Pip Woolf
- Karin Mear

As of April 2024 the chair is Paul Edwards, the secretary Neil Stone, and the treasurer Heather Eastes.[14] Since 2002, with the deaths of a number of long lasting members, new members were elected, resulting in a greater gender balance and an increase in members from outside [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff).

From 2007 the group has included a graduate member,[4] and in 2012 artist Tiff Oben began a three-year fellowship with the group.[15]

[Mathew Prichard](/source/Mathew_Prichard) [CBE](/source/CBE) is[when?] the group's president.[5]

### Former members

Former members have included major names from the field of modern Welsh art including Peter Bailey,[2] William Brown,[16] [Brenda Chamberlain](/source/Brenda_Chamberlain_(artist)),[6] Mary Fogg,[17] [Arthur Giardelli](/source/Arthur_Giardelli),[18] [Tony Goble](/source/Tony_Goble),[19] Bert Isaac,[20] [John Petts](/source/John_Petts_(artist)),[6] David Tinker,[21] [Islwyn Watkins](/source/Islwyn_Watkins),[22] Laurie Williams[2] and [Ernest Zobole](/source/Ernest_Zobole).[2][23]

## Publications

- Eastes, Heather et al. (2014). *Yma ac Acw / Hier und Da / Here and There*. The Welsh Group / BBK Düsseldorf. ISBN 9780956086723.
- Moore, David (2018). *Y Grŵp Cymreig yn 70 / The Welsh Group at 70*. Crooked Window / Ffenest Gam. ISBN 9780956086730.
- Thomas, Ceri (2009). *Mapping The Welsh Group at 60*. Llantrisant: Diglot Books. ISBN 9780956086709.
- Wakelin, Peter (1999). *Creu cymuned o arlunwyr: 50 mlynedd o'r Grŵp Cymreig/Creating an art community: 50 years of the Welsh Group*. Cardiff: National Museum of Wales. ISBN 0-7200-0472-1.

## References

1. Karen Price, ["Art group marking 60 creative years"](http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2008/11/21/art-group-marking-60-creative-years-91466-22306900/), WalesOnline, 21 November 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2013.

1. David Moore, [Mapping the Welsh Group at Sixty: The Exhibition](http://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/html/newsite/onlinedetails/The_Welsh_Group.html), Planet Online. Retrieved 23 April 2013.

1. ["Mapping the Welsh Group at 60"](http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=1513&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1386&cHash=8e57b2d7d9bdf30aa36c37d7d06e3731). National Library of Wales. 8 October 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121218094133/http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=1513&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1386&cHash=8e57b2d7d9bdf30aa36c37d7d06e3731) 18 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Thomas, Ceri (January–March 2009). ["Mapping the Welsh Group at 60"](http://www.rcaconwy.org/content/uploads/documents/celf_issue7.pdf). *Celf125*. **7**: 6–7. Royal Cambrian Academy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140103183712/http://www.rcaconwy.org/content/uploads/documents/celf_issue7.pdf) 3 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["About the Group"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140103172411/http://www.welshgroup-art.com/?page_id=10). *www.welshgroup-art.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.welshgroup-art.com/?page_id=10) on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2022.

1. Wakelin, Peter (1999). [*50 years of the Welsh Group*](https://books.google.com/books?id=aXYySHER7x8C&q=50+Years+of+the+Welsh+Group.+Peter+Wakelin). Cardiff: National Museum of Wales. ISBN 0-7200-0472-1.

1. ["Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru - National Library of Wales : Heritage Minister Opens Welsh Group at 60 Exhibition"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130706101457/http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=1514&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1455&cHash=8449e65004bab1c67d28b5466ad80b22). Archived from [the original](http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id%3D1514%26no_cache%3D1%26tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D%3D1455%26cHash%3D8449e65004bab1c67d28b5466ad80b22) on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.

1. Thomas 2009.

1. ["9780956086709, Mapping the Welsh Group at 60"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140103151409/http://www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/9780956086709/). *gwales.com*. 25 October 2013. Archived from [the original](http://www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/9780956086709/) on 3 January 2014.

1. ["ISEA - ISEA/NWS/Welsh Group Art Exchange Exhibition"](https://www.iseaartexhibit.org/event-846270). *Iseaartexhibit.org*

1. ["creativemessage.com"](http://welshdrawings.creativemessage.com/Newsletter.aspx?s=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&l=2&n=1&i=8&c=0&a=44&o=0). *Welshdrawings.creativemessage.com*. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

1. ["Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany London - Here and There we…"](https://archive.today/20140624213316/http://www.london.diplo.de/Vertretung/london/en/__events/05/Welsh-German-Artists.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.london.diplo.de/Vertretung/london/en/__events/05/Welsh-German-Artists.html) on 24 June 2014.

1. ["Members"](https://www.thewelshgroup-art.com/members-aelodau). *welsh-group*. The Welsh Group. Retrieved 8 July 2021.

1. ["Members"](https://www.thewelshgroup-art.com/members-aelodau). *welsh-group*. The Welsh Group. Retrieved 4 April 2024.

1. ["Intercourse: About the Artists"](http://elbowroomintercourse.blogspot.com/p/project-artists.html). *Elbowroomintercourse.blogspot.com*. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

1. ["William Brown: Painter and printmaker"](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/william-brown-painter-and-printmaker-877816.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. 26 July 2008. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/william-brown-painter-and-printmaker-877816.html) 20 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Moore, David (28 December 2012). ["Mary Fogg obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2012/dec/28/mary-fogg-obituary). *Theguardian.com*

1. Moore, David (11 November 2009). ["Arthur Giardelli obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/nov/11/arthur-giardelli-obituary). *Theguardian.com*. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

1. Wakelin, Peter (26 April 2007). ["Obituary: Tony Goble"](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/apr/27/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries). *Theguardian.com*. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

1. ["Bert Isaac - Obituaries - News - the Independent"](https://archive.today/20130506215311/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bert-isaac-473108.html). *[Independent.co.uk](/source/Independent.co.uk)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bert-isaac-473108.html) on 6 May 2013.

1. Wakelin, Peter (4 September 2000). ["Obituary: David Tinker"](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/sep/04/guardianobituaries2). *Theguardian.com*. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

1. Moore, David (27 January 2019). ["Islwyn Watkins obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jan/27/islwyn-watkins-obituary). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

1. ["Obituary: Ernest Zobole"](http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ernest-zobole-1130792.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. 7 December 1999. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ernest-zobole-1130792.html) 20 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

## External links

- [Official website](https://www.thewelshgroup-art.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Welsh Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Welsh_Group) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Welsh_Group?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.