Artist Focus :: Elfyn Lewis

October 2022

siloam, Acrylic on board, 26 x 26 cm

elfyn lewis :: from mountain to sea

gallery artist elfyn lewis grew up in the coastal town of porthmadog, north wales. the surrounding landscape is integral to elfyn’s practice. this month we take a closer look at a selection of Lewis’ paintings and hear more about the experiences and places which inspire his work.
"My parents’ house sits at the mouth of the river/Afon Glaslyn, which flows from the slopes of ‘Yr Wyddfa’ (Snowdon). The house faces the sea and also looks back at the mountains. The landscape has shaped how I am. The town itself and the people have influenced me so it's only natural for me to create work that tries to convey this. Though abstract in nature, my work is an emotional response to what I feel and think about. Cardiff and Porthmadog were created or developed due to the proximity of water. The flow in and out of the tide, the changing landscape it creates, could be expressed in many ways."
coed y chwarel, Acrylic on board, 30 x 30 cm

"i never chose to be a painter, it kind of took me over in my search for being able to do something that I could claim as my own. i find the sea and water very reassuring and being close to it feels comforting. the physicality in painting, the struggle to create something out of nothing, to find a way of showing my inner self, is maybe similar to a river’s journey from mountain to sea."
Garreg wen, Acrylic on board, 30 x 26 cm

"Porthmadog has a strong connection with slate as the reason for its existence was due to the link with Blaenau Ffestiniog where the slate was mined and then brought down by rail for the waiting ships. The mountains of Eryri are physical and rugged, they have been carved and shaped by weather and people for thousands of years. As with the sea the mountains influenced me greatly. The shape and appearance of them the names and the ever-changing weather which clings to them, creates a vivid vision which has influenced many over the years. For me the stillness of being in them is something which I try and capture in my work. The work hopefully conveys some of this."
"Other than family and friends, there are two things that i feel strongly about: the welsh language and the landscape of wales. without either, i would not be me."
elfyn lewis' studio in Grangetown, Cardiff

"I work in a tiny studio in Grangetown, Cardiff. I play some music and I start painting. My mood can affect my work, but they kind of go hand in hand. If the work’s going well then everything is fine. The other way then everything becomes more difficult. While working I’m asking questions of myself and of the painting. Mistakes and accidents can occur and sometimes these are the inroads I need to take me further down the road of discovery and understanding. Making the work as simple as possible is what I’m looking for."
coed gwlyb, Acrylic on board, 20 x 20 cm

"Creating a painting that speaks or says something is difficult. Abstraction by nature and name means exactly that, yet we try to read and understand it, when sometimes there is no need. I always hope that what I feel is felt by someone else and the work can stand on its own."
Yr Wyddfa in the far distance with cloud under its slopes

"I take photos and have always used photography, but not for painting as such. Understanding myself, and realising that I’m quite an emotional painter took a long time. Whatever experiences I have, or the environment in which I live, greatly affects me. I suppose I’m always thinking of home, the sea, the landscape, and the warmth of knowing where I belong."
- Elfyn Lewis, Galaeth
- Elfyn Lewis, Coed Uchaf
porth y cwch, Acrylic on board, 27.9 x 30.5 cm

"Any travel is good for the soul and exploring Wales is always beneficial. Finding places and place names that influence me, translate to the making of new work and new ideas. The only problem is: I’m always reluctant to go anywhere as the studio has become a place of solace. Whenever I do go anywhere, I’m in a hurry to get back. It’s important to see and experience new work as well, visiting exhibitions is vital. It makes me realise that I’m in this small bubble - the internet has made the world smaller but seeing work and going places is a way of developing as a person and artist. Also, you never know what can happen.”
"i think when you create paintings, you're creating something historical; a time, a place, a map of one’s feelings or train of thought. all my work has welsh names that remind me of something, somewhere or someone."
careg yr eryr, Acrylic on board, 15 x 15 cm

"It’s important to me what the painting looks like and how it is seen. Over the years my work has developed and as the paint has spilled over the edges the paintings have become more sculptural. Although the work is flat the pooling of the paint on the sides of the work has become a development, which I intend to push further. Acrylic paint dries much quicker than oils and gives a different appearance."