Summer 2021 saw the  Oriel CRiC Gallery in Crickhowell  in full bloom. Throughout the history of art, flowers have been a favourite subject amongst artists and the newly refreshed summer exhibition celebrates artists with varied disciplines, in both media and approach. Ranging from oil paintings by Lee Wright, Alex Brown, Martin Truefitt-Baker, watercolours by Sylvia Hughes Williams and Rhian Symes to works by mixed media artist Sally Mills they all attempt to capture the fleeting charm and beauty that speaks to those who love flowers.

Lee Wright says of his work, "What drives me in painting flowers is to capture their essence, their form, their beauty. I always ask myself the question, what gives the daffodil, a rose, a peony or a lilac its beauty? It is firstly about form and vibrancy of colour, but the refinement and beauty comes when one is able to express the balance of delicacy, robustness and character of each individual bloom alongside the rhythm and harmony between them all. I feel I have succeeded when I feel I can almost smell the flowers in the painting." Alongside this remarkable collection of paintings those who find pleasure in the landscape will not be disappointed. The impressive paintings by Nick Pritchard and Alison Edgson have been retained and have been joined by a new collection of watercolour paintings by John R Harris that showcases his abiding interest in subtle light and reflection and underlines a powerful connection to his Welsh homeland. Since moving to the Brecon Beacons five years ago, the Welsh landscape has also become the focus of Patricia Statham Maginnis’s work. She first exhibited in the Oriel CRiC Gallery during the 2019 Open Art exhibition and the gallery is pleased to welcome her. She paints figuratively in oil on aluminium panel reflecting the beauty of the local area while working in her Clydach studio.