Gareth Williams

Thelma

Thelma lives in her large two-storey Victorian house in East London. There is plenty of wall space in the building so hanging paintings is perfectly possible.

I first encountered Thelma over 20 years ago in London, when we were participants in a group that met regularly for a year. The friendship has continued since then and Thelma has been very supportive of my creative process, attending every exhibition in London and Brighton that has been held and buying at least one painting at most. To date, she has purchased seven of my paintings!

Thelma has a keen interest in art in many forms and from diverse sources.

Thelma says: “I am particularly interested in other people’s ‘take on life’ and Gareth presents his through his paintings.

Gareth’s paintings are ‘no pretty scenes’. There is a sense of exploration within each one and an ongoing search for the form needed in each painting. I see how he has pursued different approaches over the years. I look forward to seeing where the development of his art is taking him. There was a particular focus on still life at one point. But in its expressive side, it conveyed a feeling that could also be found in other subjects.

It’s wonderful to own a picture for so long. I get to know the pictures and I get to know parts of them, for example, the mountain in the Indian picture. I have become very fond of that mountain!

I love it that I know the artist. In the New Zealand picture, I can see a calm beauty and it reminds me of Gareth’s connection to the country he grew up in. I am not familiar with this type of landscape but I can appreciate it.

In the portrait picture that I have, I enjoy the use of archetype, in this case Gareth as King. It is Gareth yet it isn’t. The painting has such rich colours and bold proportions. It takes me to another place.

The paintings are different in style but all spring from observation, feeling and discovery. The technique is found and serves Gareth’s intention.

Also in Gareth’s paintings there is a sense of celebration that comes across. For example, in the Still Life, along with a moody use of dark colours broken by a shaft of light, there is a celebration of the form of ordinary objects.

I have bought Gareth’s paintings as gifts for other people too and particularly my daughter, Natasha, appreciates her ‘Gareth Williams’. It’s a scene in Sussex and, she says, it reminds her of her childhood even though she didn’t grow up in Sussex. She has it in a prominent position in her hallway and sees it every day."

Mel says:

The first picture I bought is the ‘Still Life on Gold Background’. I fell in love with this painting. I love the colours, the green and blue of the bottle and vase ‘sing’ against the gold. To me the gold evokes Russian Icons and has the same eternal/timeless quality. Also there is a thick black line that runs horizontally across the painting, but is missing between the bottle and vase, this feels very spiritual to me – it makes me think of things ‘missing’, or things ‘unseen’. I love the way the bottle top/cork is isolated, away from the other objects. The whole painting seems tranquil and timeless. Gorgeous.

The next painting I bought is, I feel, a companion piece – ‘Still Life on Silver Background’. It is similar in the way that there is also a thick black line running horizontally but missing between the objects, but in this case the objects are touching each other, so the black line appears to bring them together. The objects are dark, the background light, the twig is dormant, yet all the objects seem full of life and movement. Therefore this painting seems, to me, to be full of contrasts – it is dark/light – still/moving – dormant/dancing. Marvellous.

The third painting I bought is the most spiritual; it is one of a series that Gareth painted after visiting Turkey. When I saw the paintings I immediately thought about the caves in Cappadocia (where the early Christians hid from persecution). For days after the exhibition I couldn’t stop thinking about the paintings, I rang Gareth and asked if any were available; this one was. This painting evokes all the feelings I remember from the caves. The contrast is between the darkness, coolness and safety of the cave and the brightness, heat and danger outside. Yet the white light at the centre (top) makes me think of God, so it draws me out; out of myself, away from what I know - into the Unknown (the, perhaps, unknowable). Beautiful.

The fourth painting was a gift from my husband, Rufus. He said to me before the exhibition (in Brighton) “I want to get you a present; you can chose one (just one, Mel, just one) painting.” How to choose? I chose this painting of a village green near the Downs, in Sussex. This painting feels very restful. It draws you in, in to a landscape of green. It feels like a spring day (the trees are bare of leaves, but sun is shining). The roller is ready and waiting for summer (and cricket). It feels like we have come home (to Hove). We can be quiet, calm and full of peace. Hopeful.

Mary

Mary and her husband Rob are the first people I met when I came to the UK for the first time in 1994. My friend Richard had given me Mary’s contact details and I stayed with her and Rob for a few days in their tiny mews cottage in Maida Vale London W9, where they still live. Initially, I felt overwhelmed by their vast experience of theatre, concert and gallery going which contrasted markedly to my life experience of walking in Nature, growing plants and spending quiet times in New Zealand. But they seemed to like me and I certainly liked them and we have been friends since that first day a long time ago.

Over the years we have had so many wonderful and enjoyable times together: meals out, dinner parties at home, visits to their ‘Barn’ in Hampshire, holidays in New Zealand, France and India, theatre-going, birthday parties and they even came to my British Citizenship ceremony at Brent Town Hall!

Rob is an artist too and paints rural and urban scenes mainly in water colours. He has had several exhibitions over the years which I have supported.

Mary and Rob have been huge supporters of my art and have come to every exhibition possible. Frequently, they have purchased one of my paintings which hang on walls in the living room and bedrooms in their home.

Our friendship over the years too has afforded many opportunities for the sending of cards; birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and travel cards! Mary and Rob have kept these and they also hang on their walls surrounded by many other souvenirs and photographs, vivid memories of their extraordinarily rich and varied lives.

The Seven Sisters (2016) Oil on Canvas

Mary says,

“I like buying Gareth’s paintings because, quite simply, they are visually pleasing to me. Gareth’s art is a part of him, an evolving part and an important part. Having Gareth’s art around me is like having a friend, our friend, Gareth, around. Each painting is a happy reminder.

Each painting is different. Each had an effect on me at the time. Rob defines painting as ‘creating memories’, so each painting is a different memory. They are not necessarily actual events or realistic memories. But each is a memory of happiness. Gareth’s work makes me happy!”

Jenny

Jenny is the younger of my two elder sisters and lives with her husband Harry in their large colonial style house in the Auckland suburb of Devonport just a few hundred metres from the beach. The house is light and airy (with plenty of wall space for hanging pictures) and it is surrounded by a beautiful garden Jenny and Harry have created.

Jenny and Harry have come to every exhibition I have held in New Zealand and this has felt like a huge support for my art and creative process.

Jenny also became very familiar with some of the other paintings of mine; the ones that my mother had bought and displayed on her walls. Up until her death, my mother, Inez Williams, was my most enthusiastic collector and avid supporter. Jenny has ‘inherited’ some of these paintings now.

Jenny says:

“I have been a collector of Gareth's paintings and have got some wonderful pieces which I am very proud and happy to have - always admired by visitors - and I'm very proud to say they are painted by my brother.

I have counted nine paintings plus I have many sketches, cards and drawings that I've saved over the years.

I think my favourite painting I have of Gareth's is of Cox's Bay – from one of the last exhibitions Gareth had in New Zealand - it was such a happy occasion and mum bought me that painting for my birthday. It has been greatly admired by neighbours and visitors.

I'm not into seeing things perhaps an art critic would see - I just like the paintings and the artist is my brother which is special.”

Jenny has also bought my paintings as gifts. My niece Gerda, who now lives with her husband and two children in Sydney, Australia, has been the principle recipient.

Jenny continues:

“Many years ago I gave Gerda 'Incident Light'. I knew she loved it as we both chose it when we went to see Gareth on Waiheke Island before the exhibition opened in town. It looks wonderful in their house as the colour schemes work well together as with the other lovely Gareth paintings she has hanging on her walls.”

Gareth Williams

Collectors

Thelma

Melanie

Mary

Jenny