Landscape Spirit and an Artist's Soul

WINNER - Best Arts on Anglesey Award

2012-01-28T18:52:00.000Z

The Anglesey Tourism Awards is organised by the Anglesey Tourism Association Ltd (ATA). This high profile and glittering annual ceremony celebrates success, exemplifies good practice and promotes all that is best in tourism in the Region, and was attended by 220 guests from the tourism industry and officials across the Island and North Wales.

Me & TV presenter Nia Parry, photographed by Carol

Jane Blakey, chair of the ATA said “Tonight’s winners have shown that the tourism industry on the Island is of an exceptionally high standard and that we have many outstanding businesses offering a superb visitor experience. They should be very proud of their achievements as it is their hard work and continued development which helps maintain Anglesey’s reputation as a top holiday destination"

This is the first time I've entered the Arts and Crafts category of the Anglesey Tourism Awards and I had no idea really what to expect from it all. I was informed a few weeks back that I'd been short-listed from the nominations for this Award and would I be interested in attending the Gala dinner at "The Pavilion" at the Royal Anglesey Showground at Mona. I was then told it was a black tie event, which deflated me somewhat as I just don't do that sort of fashion etiquette, it goes against my artist, free thinking, non conformist nature and it really stressed me out ! I was told a suit would be fine, which I could deal with, I remember having one for my wedding in 2005 :-)

Jane Blakey (R) ATA Chair, giving introduction at the ATA Awards

Anyway, last night was suddenly upon me before I knew it, and Carol had ironed my white collared shirts for me, as I was working in the gallery till 6.00pm and the event started at 7.00pm. I raced home, put my suit trousers on and they didn't fit ! Amazingly, in 7 years, I'd put weight on ! Now definitely stressing, I decide I have to wear the only black trousers without combat pockets, my Levi black denims! No worries, I'm an artist so I can be renegade and wear them instead. I tried all three shirts and the 16.5"collars would no longer fit around my neck !!! Not only stressed that I now only had a suit jacket left as any form of formality (and a black tie) I was equally concerned that I need to cut back on even more G&T and maybe do even more mountain walking to lose weight ! The jacket fitted perfectly, so white cotton patch shirt, nice black tie, black denims and polished black boots and I was at least comfortable - didn't look like a silly penguin - and was assured in my non conformity :-) I'd seen the David Bailey film the night before and if he could non conform in Vogue company then I could non conform in Anglesonian company :-) My wife on the other hand had gone for an Indian style outfit which looked absolutely stunning, cultural, smart, colourful, and eye catching, not a ball gown but equally beautiful. I was mega proud of her.

My plaque, which will soon be affixed to the gallery wall :-)

We arrived at the venue which was bustling with people flash-lit in manoeuvring car headlights and a few who had unwisely attempted to park on grass like guests did at the infamous Cerys Matthews concert here, when loads of people got stranded in thick mud and couldn't get home. Inside the barn (which is what it was/is, there had been a transformation. Carpets laid, curtains arranged, stage lights, powerful ceiling heating, a bar, display stands, beautifully arranged tables and a Champagne drinks reception, the place was unrecognisable! I couldn't believe the last time I'd been here it was an indoor car boot sale! And amongst this inviting interior, hundreds of beautifully dressed gorgeous ladies and Cummerbunded gents with dickie bows, though thankfully plenty of other suit wearing and even non suit wearing renegades like me. Funnily enough no one seemed to notice or care and after a beer and a chat with several friends we found there straight away, I was happy as Larry (Larry was smoking a spliff - not really)

An iPhone snap of the winners group by Carol whilst waiting for Eifion to do the proper shot!

We were called to the tables and we were thankful sat with a really bunch of guys from Ye Olde Bulls Head in Beaumaris, already past winners of these Awards and who made us feel welcome. Had a really good chat with co owner of the Bull, and highly experienced top chef Keith Rothwell (and his lovely wife) about how much work had been done to the place over 25 years to turn it into the excellent establishment it has now become. We also got chatting to the extremely talented, TV featured young chef, Hefin Roberts, who is now responsible for the contemporary approach the kitchen now adopts, and his girlfriend Jen (House Manager at Ye Olde Bulls Head) were just a brilliant laugh, along with Carol's fitness instructor friend Lesley Wills, so Carol and I both felt relaxed and happy. In such esteemed company I didn't dare comment on the series of dishes laid before us, in case I said they were good when they weren't, or bad if they were good. I just mmmmmm'd in accord ! :-)

Top chef, Hefin Roberts, and girlfriend, Ye Olde Bulls Head House Manager, Jen

Then came the Awards themselves, presented by the well know Welsh TV presenter, Nia Parry - witty, fast, beautiful, professional and engaging, she really had people laughing with all her ad-libbing.

I was suddenly tense, I had sort of forgotten the whole purpose of the evening (not helped by 3 double gins!) but my category was announced before I knew it !

"Best Arts and Crafts of the Year"

"Anglesey’s historical, cultural and natural heritage continues to this day in the produce of traditional hand-crafted products and this Award recognises the importance art and craft plays in providing the visitor with a true sense of place"

I was up against another popular (painting) gallery and as Beaumaris businesses seemed to be winning everything to that point, I feared the worst. The announcer unwrapped the foil envelope and said "And the winner is - Glyn Davies" when everyone started clapping, calling and Carol screaming something very excitedly ! It was a bit of a blur really, I grabbed my beautiful wife by the hand as I wanted her there with me, and headed for the stage where I got to kiss beautiful Nia before having the official portrait taken by a very complimentary and friendly photographer Eifion Williams.

iPhone snap by a top chef :-))

After that, I was just extremely happy and relaxed, though event organiser Pip did tell me off for wearing black denim at some point, (I think she was smiling!) but her colleague Jane Blakey, chair of the ATA had already told me how smart I looked, so I think we'll call it quits, and I remained true to myself :-) (though the snap above AFTER dancing, would suggest otherwise !!)

Personally, I would like to thank my wife, for looking beautiful and for her support; Ye Olde Bulls Head of Beaumaris, for being such nice company; TV Presenter Nia Parry for kissing me, twice; The lovely and hard working organisers Jane, Pip and the rest of the ATA for organising the event; All the judges and presenters who gave their time to attend the event; The very nice barman who gave me a cheap double Gin because I'd won and of course all the nice people I met there who showed support and offered congratulations on my win. Congratulations also to the Janet Bell Gallery who received Silver in our category.

For further information please contact Pip Cockeram on 01248 811195 or at pip@pipcockeram.co.uk
http://angleseytourismawards.co.uk/awards/

Lost in Space

2012-01-26T19:46:00.000Z

Seems I have been dropped back into that "It's your photo day, you shall have grey" scenario! My photo-days in last few weeks have generally been devoid of any weather other than high wind, drizzle and greyness. Monday was promised broken cloud and sunshine, improving throughout the afternoon with more and more sunshine towards evening. Well no one told the weather makers near Beddgelert, where the Nantlle Ridge, Mynydd Mawr and Moel Hebog seemed to grip to the fast flowing low cloud base like Fred Astaire to a Top Hat.

"My Geometry's Foggy" Moel Hebog © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

The going was very wet underneath, with thick bog and waterlogged grass and the summit of Moel Hebog where I was headed only made very brief appearances. From the North Ridge I followed the very steep hillside alongside a miraculous wall which defied gravity and continued right up and over the summit to drop away to the South West on the far side. To be honest it was welcome shelter from the bitter hill fog which nearer the top would otherwise have ripped through me. As usual, I was alone on the mountain and it was slightly intimidating ascending this vast open mountainside where visibility was down to a few meters, on a hill I'd never climbed before, like an ascent to heaven which would open above me at any minute.

"Fogpath Footpath" Moel Hebog © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

It seems I wasn't going to Heaven after all as the cloud base stayed low and I finally summited in a fast flowing motorway of 50mph cloud. I sheltered behind a trig point and it was so cold I had to eat my sandwiches wearing gloves. The coffee was gorgeous and warm and restored some sanity to this cold hilltop. Almost without me noticing, the sky behind the wall had opened, and this incredible view of sunlit hills opened up over South East Snowdonia, but in the fast hill fog, it was gone before I could even get the camera out. I was becoming more comfortable in this isolated and surreal weather, and mounted the camera to the tripod ready for the next 'appearance' but there was none. Behind me a different view opened up for a couple of minutes with layers of cloud racing under banks of higher cloud, and intense sunlight in one tiny patch over Cardigan Bay on the horizon. It was all rather beautiful as well as cold and surreal, but it would have made a much better video than a still. As a still, the fast moving vapour just appears as white, but on HD video, you would discern the speed, the subtlety of fast change and the noise of the won through the wall behind me.

"Volcanic Burn" Llyn Peninsula © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints from HERE

Nevertheless, two scenes presented themselves which summed up the character and ambience of what I was experiencing, and on the way off the mountain, back at the col, very low, late afternoon sunshine made an intense effort to break through the cloud over the Llyn Peninsula and I managed a few frames on the telephoto in the five minutes before that too disappeared behind an enormous new weather-front. I'd spent way too much time on the col, hoping the light would become even more spectacular, but it didn't, so I was forced to make a hasty descent in half light back through down the lower slopes through thick bog to the van, waiting for me next to a gurgling brook, in a dark and still deserted valley.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Well that's it, first A1 edition to sell out, strange feeling!

2012-01-25T16:33:00.001Z

Yesterday, a lady came to my gallery and became transfixed by one of my Limited Editions of 3. It was the last in the set, No.3 of 3. Even though she looked at the rest of the images and also loved another image shot at the same location, she couldn't take her eyes off "Sheep in Welsh Tuscany".

"Sheep in Welsh Tuscany" Dolbenmaen © Glyn Davies 2011

"Featureless mountain-tops led down to isolated 'findings' before shrubs, trees and man-made forms started dominating the landscape once more. A mist had built in the late afternoon and was backlit by warm evening sunshine. The rows of tall trees arranged across the rolling hillsides made the landscape look more Tuscan than Welsh !"

As often happens, the lady left without making a purchase but promised to come back in on Saturday. These days I rarely believe return visits will happen but today, less than 24 hours later she came back in with her friend for another look. Within 10 minutes Miss Williams was making the purchase for rare framed print and both she and I were delighted.

It's a strange feeling though. This is the first time that I have sold out of an edition completely (partly because my earlier A1 editions were 20 and 25 editions which need to be displayed so much longer on gallery walls) but I suddenly thought "That's it, I will never ever see that image of mine at that lovely A1 size again, unless I visit the houses of my own customers!" It gives me an idea what a painter faces, when a one-off original leaves the studio. It feels precious, something is a part of you, and that even as the creator, you won't get to see it again. I know I will get used to this feeling but that's the first time it's happened. The first print sold to a lady in Chester, the second print to a lady in Italy.

Do I still believe in doing such rare editions therefore ? Definitely, I like rarity and preciousness. The disadvantage is that I can't charge the prices that London or city galleries charge to make up for this rarity, but I really dislike "limited" editions, that in their hundreds are simply not "limited" at all. I know that in many international galleries editions of 10 are seen as a joke, let alone 50 or 100 or more, so I am happy to offer my gallery visitors something really beautiful and rare, and at just a tenth of the London prices some of my colleagues are charging for their editions which are reaching £16-20K.

Miss Williams is happy, and my gallery is ticking along and surviving this global economic disaster, so all in all, I feel good today.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

A must watch video for all artists & togs

2012-01-25T12:21:00.000Z

I rarely post video links on my blog, but I was shared this really superb video today that REALLY has relevance to ALL photographers (actually, to ALL OF US, no matter what job we do). I just had to share this one.

The first 1.35 mins are actually relevant, in a joky way, but this vid really kicks off at around 1min 35sec, beautifully shot but very true sentiments that will resonate with many, newbie or established, young or older, and regardless of genre (generally)

If it moved you, let me know using the comments form. Enjoy.

Aching, Sensation, on Aran

2012-01-20T18:59:00.005Z

Day 2 and it's still cold, the fresh air blows on my face whilst I lie there taking in the new day. A brightness bathes my face and dragon's vapour rises from my mouth. Another day in the hills, another punishment of weary muscles and shoulder-aching gear-carrying. I look to see my companion who is still sleeping, wrapped up tight against the cold.

"Echoes in Shadow" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

So I close the bedroom window, enter the sunlit kitchen, stick the kettle on and make a brew :-) Yesterday was Elidir Fawr, today was - revision for Carol, and a photo-day for me! I was still sore from yesterday, the first hill-walk in months it seems, and not enough stretching! I make myself a hot flask of coffee, check out the route map for Yr Aran, one of secondary Snowdon peaks which I'd not climbed before, checked my camera gear and then "Glyn!?" followed by expletives, as some Mac issue was causing Carol problems for advertising her new personal training advert ! By lunchtime I was ready for the off :-) I had written-off the chance of Yr Aran as the days are so short, especially when you try and combine the walk with any considered photography, so I just headed for the valley anyway, and just planned on checking out the famous waterfalls below the Watkin Path.

The sky was once again clear blue, cloud deserted acres of the stuff above the low and sharp winter sunshine. Trees looked gorgeous, intricate orange sculptures adorning roadsides and valleys. Hillsides were textural and defined, every crag and face picked out in the intense sun but the roads were almost empty, and apart from the occasional cyclist the normally bustling town of Llanberis was crowdless. I wound my way up the Llanberis Pass, the shadowy lee of the hills looking cold and blue-frosted. About five cars were parked at the Pen y Pass car park for the main routes up Snowdon, and I saw an army bloke steaming under his Bergen. I overtook a slow car on the windy decent towards the Pen Y Gwryd and then met no vehicle whatsoever en route to the mirror flat lake of Llyn Gwynant. Leafless trees on the far bank pierced the reflected blue sky in cross-hatched symmetry and not even a bird stirred the lake.

"Cold Hill Start" Nant Gwynant © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

I reached the Bethania car park where there sat one lonely vehicle. A light flickered above the men's toilet door and it was a surprise to find it open at all. I syphoned the python then kitted up, it was 1.00pm now. I meandered up through sunlit woodland, moss covered boulders tempting me to stop and stare, but I was already being drawn to the falls, the promise of pounding rivers and eroded curves. Yr Aran watched me from above. I soon reached the falls, but the south facing aspect meant the sun was flat on, and although lovely to listen to, the river simply proved uninspiring to me today. Conversely, the ice covered track alongside the waterfalls teased me with a route to a view of the highest peak in England and Wales, just above the hanging valley ahead. At this point I met "Kronmueller"one of my Flickr contacts coming DOWN the track, the first person I'd seen here at all. It was so good to meet with him rather than just seeing his avatar, though he says we have met at my gallery at some point and I've shot portraits of his good friends!

The summit of Lliwedd appeared in view, towering above everything else, but now I could see the backlit peak of Yr Aran too, rimming a vast slope of shadowy hillside. I could even discern the faintest of tracks up to the col below the summit, I'd read it was steep enough for some people to need hands as well as feet in places. I looked at my watch, an hour had passed, could I dare hope to reach the peak by say 3.00 ish ? That would give me plenty of time to eat and drink on the top, take a few photos en-route and still get back to the van before night closed in. I decided, and started, and ascended, and within a few meters had to negotiate whole ice slopes where streams had simply frozen right across the route. I had no crampons or axe so had to veer off route to use frozen grass stretches to find friction and gain height. I did NOT want to face this in semi-light on the way back. Fortunately, the higher I climbed, the steeper it got, and the less sheets of ice blocked my way. I soon found myself on the col, faster than I thought. I even allowed myself to shoot a frame or so back towards Snowdon main, and the huge massif of Lliwedd to my right.

"Before There Were Sleepers" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

A quick ten minutes I thought, and the summit was mine. I have never needed those poles as much as that ascent ! I know I hadn't eaten properly and had probably raced quicker than planned to do a route I'd dismissed, but my legs ached, my heart pumped and my lungs started working as the summit was a series of small false summits, which just stretched and stretched and stretched ! Funnily enough though, I was there by 3.10pm so within my 'mental schedule' for a safe return. The wind was racing over the peak from the South East, just like yesterday, and it was cold in the afternoon air, the wind chill factor noticeable. I took my clothes off (well my tops!) to put on a clean dry T-shirt and instantly the lack of sweat made me feel warmer (or was it just the contrast from the icy wind on my bare torso!). I piled down two sandwiches, three Penguins (the biscuits not the birds) and two large cups of coffee from my new 0.7 litre flask ! :-) I felt like a new man - and it was all downhill from here :-)

"Clarity Before a Fall" Snowdon © Glyn Davies 2012 - Prints available HERE

And it was! Now, my left knee was in agony, for such young pensioner of 47 I shouldn't be suffering like this, but I do, when I am not in the hills regularly. I put up with it, like the man my wife says I should be, and the poles once again helped my progress. There was enough light to avoid the icy dangers of the steep slopes though and within such a short space of time compared with the ascent, I was nearly back on the main Watkin path. I found an unusual landmark here for an even more unusual self portrait, before I was back alongside the river in the gathering dusk. I took one shot just due to fascination with the azure blue in the crystal clear river pool, backed by a pink evening sky, and then it was a gloomy trudge back to the van, and a final cup of hot coffee. I'd done the route in four hours including photography, eating, drinking and simply marvelling - Did I do a third day in the hills ?

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Blues in Black & White

2012-01-19T20:55:00.000Z

A rare but welcome experience, the sun that day, following weeks of wind, rain and cloud - don't get me wrong, I love shooting in adverse conditions but it's just SO uplifting when the sun come out and warms your skin for more than three minutes! On days like this however, it's also so easy to forget that it is nevertheless January, not June, so in the sunshine it was uplifting and energising but the moment you crossed the shade line it was freezing cold, literally, frost and even ice around.

"Black Energy" Marchlyn Mawr © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

On leaving the van, we felt he need to put everything on, gloves, hats and even over-trousers (in my case the amazing Paramo Cascada trousers) and this was Carol's first opportunity to use walking poles so it was a clickety click of sticks up the winding tarmac road towards the Marchlyn Mawr reservoir. I was soon overheating thanks to my RAB windproof under my Paramo jacket so removed both the RAB and Paramo, walked another 100 meters into the shade of Elidir Fach and was suddenly chilled to the bone so BACK on with the Paramo, what a faff, but that's this weather for you, exacerbated by carrying heavy rucksacks full of camera gear, flasks and water bottles!

The lake of Marchlyn Mawr stirred slowly in the darkness of the mountain shade, only a gentle reflected light from the blue sky illuminating it's shadowy surface. Tiny wavelets spat at the steep dark dam wall before being sucked back down into it's depths. Since my first visit here as a teenager, I have always wondered what would happen when the tunnel is opened and hundreds of thousands of gallons of lake water plunge headlong down the inside of the mountain to the turbines in the valley below. Would a swimmer get sucked in, or birds or fish :-) Even today, with the apparent wisdom of age I still wonder where the plug is. The lake therefore holds a dark mystery to me, and makes me feel uneasy.

"Beyond the Wall" Marchlyn Mawr © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

We started the steep ascent up the spur, above huge cliffs towering above the now shrinking lake below. We shortened our poles to deal with the almost 1in1 slope ascent which did help noticeably, until we reached a boulder field on the final stretch towards the top ridge. Here, the normally friction covered grey boulders were covered in a fine layer of ice cold frost, making even the most pumice like boulders seem slippery underfoot. The wind was noticeable here in the cold shadow, but nothing compared with the brunt of the brisk South East breeze when we topped out on the sunlit ridge. The leg to the summit fog Elidir Fawr was exhilarating in the crisp midday sunlight, and the frost simply vanished leaving cold coarse stone once more. Amazingly for such a beautiful day we were alone on the summit, for a while at least, and we just stood in awe and happiness soaking up the brilliance and the panoramic views, from the hills of the Llyn Peninsula, across the beautiful lowlands of coastal Anglesey, to the full massif of the Carneddau, the Glyderau and then Snowdon itself. We could see for miles in this light. Photographically of course, for me at least, it was just not the right conditions, featureless sky and no lovely shadows scudding across the landscape, or even heavy mist, hill fog or thunderstorms, but it was in it's own way, still beautiful.

"The Wall Was Broken" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase HERE

We descended the narrow ridge to the North, down to the col before Mynydd Perfedd, and looking back up the ridge, the silhouetted shape of Elidir Fawr looked like a pyramid. We stood right next to the sheer cliffs which form the backwall of Cwm Marchlyn and could see the whole of this small reservoir lake, with the vista of Anglesey in the background. Soft springy grass took us up the slope to the wide, exposed and even more windy summit of Mynydd Perfedd, where you get great views over the Ogwen Valley and the famous peaks of Pen yr Ole Wen and Tryfan, though unusually for this crystal clear day, the summit of Carnedd Dafydd alone was covered in elongated clouds.

Summit of Elidir Fawr by Carol Mead

It's an easy walk from here to the next peak of Carnedd y Filiast, but en route, you cross a long stone wall struggling to stay upright, and here we sat out of the wind, grabbing a last cup of coffee and photographing a small pool covered in thick ice. Carol was in her element with macros and abstracts so it was quite extraordinary to be pulling HER away from photography so that we could finish the walk ! It was a steep and rocky descent from here down the mountainside to joint the path towards the top end of our original track, the tarmac access road from the dam back to the van. The sun had sadly dropped behind a huge bank of cloud on the horizon but it still created a gorgeous glow over the van, where we sat in the open side door and finished our flasks and absorbed the evening sounds. A truly special day, almost devoid of photographs but full of great views and great company.

Sunset on the van - a warm welcome back :-)

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Before & After - Private View - Glyn's first public 'nudes'

2012-01-12T00:50:00.000Z

I wasn't sure what to expect last night, when I finally entered the Rhyl Arts Centre gallery to attend the Private View of "Before and After" a collaborative show between me and sculptor Wanda Zyborska.

I've seen her work, I of course did all the nude studies of her amongst her sculptures, I have already done masses of work and printing for the first show in Vienna, but Wanda has handled almost all the organisation and hanging of this second showing.

Beyond that, this is the first time in many years that a lab has printed and mounted my art work, as I have not been able to source a local framer who could handle the job. I therefore gave the commission to Genesis in London who took my pre-worked digital files and printed, mounted and acrylic bonded six large A0 images for me. They did this just before Christmas and they were delivered directly to the gallery in the New Year ! Talking about cutting it fine, especially if any did need re-printing :-)

So to walk into the room, and see these gorgeous acrylic faced prints adorning the gallery wall, all beautifully lit by intense warm halogen lights, glistening in the minimal ambient room light, was truly uplifting. I'd had to shoot these images at 1600 ASA in order to get the depth of field I needed, even with an Arri 2K and 2 x 800W redheads, so I had been a little anxious about taking the files up to that size. I needn't have worried, you can see every tiny detail and the tones are still so smooth and pixel-less. The transition between dark shadows over black rubber through to the most delicate of scar tissue on Wanda's pal nude body were so real, so 'touchable' - helped by the half life size scale of the prints.

The large tractor inner-tube sculptures, carved and bolted together to form intriguing and sensual installations, really did make the connection with the images on the wall, where they were seen utilised by the naked artist. even the fact you could see the reflections of the actual sculptures in the acrylic of the printed versions echoed and reiterated the organic like nature of all the work.

There was a performance by Wanda at 7.00pm, where she is completely enveloped by one of her pieces, and it moves and writhes, squirms and falls before re-erecting itself and twisting in front of the audience, before the finale, of a huge cancerous looking tumour of rubber is ejected from the mouth of the rubber creature, which I saw as both healing but also birth like, the endless squirming cycle of life and death. The performance was set to haunting and surreal music and voice, sung/chanted by musician and singer Ann Matthews.

These photographs were all taken before the performance but by 7.00 the room was actually almost packed, partly helped by the number of supportive and engaged students and fellow tutors from Bangor University. However I was also delighted that several of my own clients, friends and family also attended and I was bust chatting with people till the very end. The response to my photo art works was truly fantastic, as so many people these days only know me for my landscapes and were quite taken aback to realise I could shoot other subjects with equal passion :-) I had felt slight trepidation about how my nudes of Wanda would be regarded by the audience, especially my own, but it has given me more confidence than ever to expand on my current nudes project, and perhaps explore new ways of presenting them too at the end of the year, apart from the book of course.

I came away extremely positive and thankful for the opportunity to have worked with Wanda.

The show runs until February 4th at the Rhyl Library Arts Centre - 01745 882523

Wanda Zyborska
Glyn Davies
Ann Matthews
Rhyl Arts Centre
Genesis Imaging

A Sun Set

2012-01-11T16:55:00.000Z

"Ducks a l'Orange" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase link is HERE

"Golden Slither" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase link is HERE

"Wave Front Release" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase link is HERE

"Around Sunset" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Purchase link is HERE

"Naked Flame" © Glyn Davies 2012

I was looking at another professional photographer's Tumblr site today, a really nice American guy from Florida, and he was extolling the virtues of the Tumblr blog format as a way of just posting up new images, often without any form of wording, just new pix.

As I get busier and busier in the gallery, with customers, shoots, project discussions with other artists, printing or advertising, it becomes increasingly hard to keep on top of fully worded stories to accompany each and every trip out (problem with being prolific) and therefore many new images are simply not getting seen. So I thought, actually it's not a bad idea, to just post new pictures here on Blogger from time to time, with little textual context.

So this is perhaps my first post, when I basically just post a set of images from a recent shoot, without even needing much of an intro anyway. They were just shot for fun, in the company of my wife, when the sun suddenly 'did it's wonderful thing' for half an hour!

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

"Close to My Dad" - A shared landscape

2012-01-11T16:17:00.000Z

I was going to post a series of images from this walk, but so much is happening here at the gallery at present that I am posting this right now as a one off image, as the moment is and was important, to me at least.

"Close to my Dad" © Glyn Davies 2012 - Link to purchase page HERE

"I'd headed for Dinas Dinlle simply because I'd heard my Dad mention that he and Mum might be "going there later", but the car park was empty. I geared up anyway and sat for a short while looking at the amazingly bright and stormy sight before me, whilst salt spray covered the windscreen and the van rocked by the gusts, "winds of almost 100 mph in the UK today" they said. Jeremy Vine was on the radio chatting with those trapped by the gales, but there was sunlight here, intense and positive, the wind felt like a heart beat and the pull of the outdoors was greater than the force used to seal the van door closed!

As I sat there a small black car turned up, and there was my Dad, smiling at me through the front window, Mum waving at me lovingly from the passenger seat. Dad (who is recovering from an operation) and I went for a walk together, whilst Mum sheltered in the car. Although I'd sort of 'hoped' to meet them, I was nevertheless intent on taking pictures, so Dad was doing his best to keep close but not too close so as not to get in my way (family know these things!) I watched him as he huddled over debris washed up on the high tide mark, beach-combing like he'd always done with us as kids, and I suddenly felt very sad. My Dad is getting older, mid 70s now, and he struggles more with things he'd once have taken in his stride. He won't admit this, and told me so the other night, but I sensed it that day at least.

After a while he said he was going to head back to the car and go to the café for a coffee with Mum. I said I'd take a few more shots then join them as the light and waves crashing on the shore were superb photo potential, but as I watched his slightly unstable retreat away from me, blown sideways by the wind, I couldn't take any more images, they seemed more important, and the opportunity to just go and be with them, so I made my way back to join them (via the hill fort viewpoint I should perhaps guiltily add !). The café was shut so they made their way home anyway, whilst I stayed for the last of the light on this stormy beach. It was a day where I was being torn apart, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I called in on them on the way home, and chatted for hours. It's funny isn't it, that even the most stunning things on the planet, pale into significance when you consider real love, and the awareness of real loss."

Prints of this very personal image are available HERE

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

New Years Cold Cream

2012-01-07T16:20:00.002Z

After the busy run up to Christmas, working long hours in the gallery each day including Christmas Eve, I got hit hard by the virus that has been doing the rounds which almost lays you flat, but I still managed to open each day up to my birthday on New Years Eve, and that was it! We had to cancel an evening with friends, cancel any New Years Day walk and I survived on Whisky, Manuka Honey and Lemon ! I was hoping to go to work on the Monday but still felt too rough, so thankfully my wife drove me to Porth Trecastell to see the sea.

"Frothy Cream & Hot Coffee" © Glyn Davies - Click HERE to purchase

It was amazingly, quite a bright afternoon, though the dark winter clouds hung over much of Anglesey and the hills, but the wind was really blowing and created quite a chill factor. We got sandblasted going over the dunes and sea foam aimed itself directly at us whilst a steady flow of salt spray made it's way inland, covering everything. Still, I was entranced by the light and the sparkle and the intense contrast all about - my lungs felt suddenly full of oxygen even though my nostrils burned in the cold air - I stood on a rocky outcrop and remembered summer days at this same spot.

I fitted a filter and sorted my exposure whilst facing inland, then swung seawards and composed within seconds to avoid the blurring spray. I managed about three frames before the beautiful aberrations of sun through water started affecting the view. It took about 2 minutes to clean the filter before walking on towards the next beach and our coffee destination in Rhosneigr. The sea was at half tide so was not pounding the cliffs and reef but instead remained choppy and gymnastic, texturing the horizon. The water turned to creamy foam as soon as it reached the shoreline, and it curdled it's way towards us in viscous frustration, as in a dream.

"Cream of the Sea" © Glyn Davies - Click HERE to purchase

The outgoing tide had left the most beautiful soft virginal sand in it's retreat, upon which the creamy fingers of waves reached, encircled and touched. Low winter sunshine bounced off the wet grains and shallow crescent moons until the angle was so reduced that only darkness was reflected. At that point we finished the outward journey in Sullivans Bistro with hot coffee and syrup-ladled, ice-cream topped Danish Waffles - purely medicinal of course, before we enjoyed a dark and wind blown walk back to the van, a mile or so further down the coast, a half moon offering minimal guidance, and an LED torch offering safety over the rocky stretches. That evening, invigorated by the walk and the sea air, I felt unusually sleepy, and with a final whisky toddy knocked back, I had the first goods nights sleep in a week!

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

A Good Thursday - Pt.2 - Anglesey Brochure

2012-01-05T18:47:00.002Z

The second lovely 'finding' today, was seeing the cover of the new Anglesey tourism brochure which this year features my cover after several years of no library requests from the council. The designer has always been keen to use my work but has not always been contractually permitted to do so, but this year was different.

Anglesey tourism brochure 2012 featuring my cover image

It's funny that my images of Anglesey have been sent all over the world many times over, as prints, books, magazines and of course on-line, all helping in their own way to promote this beautiful island as a place to visit, but that for maybe seven years my work has not been used at all in the main tourism brochure - I'm delighted that at least one of my images is now officially promoting the island once again, thank you to the two Steves :-)

I wish every tourism related business on Anglesey a very busy year, and profit rather than loss, in these hard times in this stunning location.

Original prints and editions of this image can be purchased here on my main print sales site: www.glyndavies.com

A Good Thursday - Pt.1 - OneEyeland

2012-01-05T18:30:00.000Z

Having recently re-joined OneEyeland as an annual subscriber once again, after a short time out, I was made up this morning to receive and e-mail saying that not only had one of my images been picked as "Pic of the Day" I had also been given the position of "Photographer of the Week" so the OneEyeland homepage was suddenly very Anglesey Storm covered :-)

"Picture of the Day" and "Photographer of the Week" - Today's OneEyeland home page!

I have been asked by so many professionals whether membership of OneEyeland justifies the annual fee, so I guess my decision to re-join shows my view on this. Ultimately, it has led to considerable national exposure )including TV & Radio) for me after I became ranked No.1 on the site, and I have received a couple of commission enquiries, one for Saatchi and another for an oil exploration company so it does actually create some leads too.

What I can honestly say though, is that there is great fun in just seeing what the team of judges will accept from my submissions, a bit like fishing when you get a bite, and purely for that simple fun, it means I am happy to be on there once more (and still ranked No.1 is cool !) Some things in this business have to be just done for fun!

A Gentle Healing, from Anglesey

2012-01-04T20:27:00.000Z

Today was my first day back in the gallery after the New Year weekend, so it was a brilliant start to the year to meet up with several really fascinating and genuinely supportive followers of my work and career. To top it all, an existing customer for my limited editions turned up to buy another of my editions, this time as a wedding present.

He and his wife have strong connections with Rhosneigr, so were looking for an artwork based on that area. They had already been on my website and had basically narrowed things down to a final selection of three, they just wanted to see the images as prints, 'in the flesh' so to speak.

"A Gentle Healing" © Glyn Davies - Use this link to purchase

As often happens here in the gallery of course, they caught sight of another of my images "A Gentle Healing" and their original choices including "Evening Tide", were rejected in favour. No.1 of 5 in the A2 size has now left the gallery! Four more available.

In this shot, the calmest of tides gently advanced up the beach, over the myriad of footprints and paw-prints, smoothing the pockmarked sands back to unblemished perfection, and gradually brought saturated colour back into the sun-dried stone. In the foreground a rich and gorgeous chaos of assorted pebbles glinted in the shallow sea like marbles in a jar. I never ever fail to be soothed by the transition from churned beach to virginal beach, a cleansing, a process of renewal and rejuvenation, getting ready for a new day - putting today's events into universal perspective.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Exhibition - Wanda Zyborska - Nudes & Sculpture

2012-01-01T11:55:00.001Z

"Cynt a Chwedyn - Before and After"
A collaborative art project with sculptor, Wanda Zyborska
and photographer Glyn Davies

"The sculptor Wanda Zyborska and photo artist Glyn Davies have used the language of surrealism to create a collaborative exhibition about Zyborska's experience of breast cancer. The project also explores issues of ageing and the representation of older women, using sculpture, photography and performance. Music for the performance is from a long standing collaboration with the musician and singer Ann Matthews"

This exhibition will show some large scale sculptures by Wanda and six huge A0 size acrylic / metal bonded photographic prints by Glyn Davies. The images contain full nudity and are critical to the understanding of the very real effects of the life saving treatment, and the resulting 'coming-to-terms' with the resulting scarification of the beauty of a woman's body, in addition to other natural issues of ageing and change.

Wanda: "I wanted to make the scar beautiful, to put that at the centre of the work, but not in a way that could be separated from me, or could define me. I want to express my ambiguity about the whole thing, I like the scar, it makes me feel like an Amazon, but I am having a reconstruction, to try and be whole again. That is why I am in an environment created by me, surrounded by my work, coming out of it. I am being looked at and photographed by a male artist who brings all his own ideas and creativity to the task, but it is in my territory.

I asked Glyn Davies to work with me because I wanted the photographs to be technically outstanding. Glyn is an artist who is always able to find the beautiful and the strange in nature. I wondered if he could find it in my ageing and mutilated body. My work is primarily about subjectivity and identity, feminism and the body, and in this exhibition, how all this relates to a woman’s experience of illness. For me it was surreal, and it prompted me to attempt a modern day version of Man Ray’s collaboration with the women surrealists in the 20s and 30s. I tried to imagine how much input the women had, and the poses I set up were loosely related to those in their photographs'

Detail from one of the main A0 images.

Glyn: "For me, this collaboration with Wanda has been a fascinating and sometimes soul searching process of observation and understanding, as I was asked to consider notions of beauty, 'sexiness' , and self worth, from a woman's perspective, but also through my own male eyes.
I see that we are so immersed in a narrow world visualisation of 'desirable' women being young, nubile, semi-dressed and sexually vivacious, that I had to consider carefully how Wanda as an older woman, scarred to save her life, might try to see herself fitting within the modern 'ideal'. Equally, I had to ask myself what I see as attractive, womanly, desirable and so on. Fortunately, I see nudity as a beautiful state, regardless of figure type or age, which helps, and beyond that, having photographed women since I was 16 years old, and nude women since I was 17 years old, I seem to find elements of beauty in all people, even the most unlikely, so it was much easier to work with Wanda who has so many natural beautiful qualities anyway. Indeed I was not even slightly shocked by her missing breast, as all I could see before me was a sensual, real and intriguing woman who seemed to have lost none of her 'womanliness' to my mind at least.
It was an honour to be asked to collaborate on Wanda's project and I am pleased with the symbiosis, emotionally, philosophically and creatively - Wanda is simply a beautiful character"

This is the first UK showing of this work, the first was at the Basement Gallery in Vienna in 2010.
The private view of this second show, taking place at the Rhyl Library, Museum and Arts Centre, is Tuesday 10 January 6-8pm, all visitors are welcome.

The exhibition runs from 7th Jan - 4th Feb
Rhyl Library, Museum and Arts Centre
Stryd yr Eglwys / Church Street, Rhyl LL18 3AA
01745 882523

Boxing Day & Spiritual Refreshment

2011-12-27T18:14:00.000Z

A Boxing Day walk, alone, in the weather and the howling winds. Amazing, elemental, the antithesis to Christmas, natural, wild, empty, unpackaged. The car park was surprisingly busy but apart from a dog walking couple who rapidly disappeared into the rain drenched dunes, I saw no one. I almost gave up right there and then as it was so dismal and wet, but I so needed fresh air, on this second of two days off over Christmas. The gallery has seen me trapped six days a week for the last month or so, and I've been badly missing my outdoor escape, aka sanity.

"An Exposed Sanctuary" © Glyn Davies 2011 - Buy a print of this image HERE

Spindly, stunted silver Birches adorned the dune landscape, natural Christmas trees sparkling in the half light. I planned on just studying these beauties but the draw of the sea was strong, and I soon found myself in the middle of a semi-drowned estuary, acres of 4" deep water all about me, and hard to tell where the deeper channels lay as the howling winds roughened the water's surface. Three times I stood huddling behind my huge (braced) umbrella for shelter, whilst squalls lashed the black dome of nylon and winds flapped the edges like the sound of a machine gun. So noisy was the wind that it was hard to tell when the rain had stopped!

"Rainstorm over the Estuary" © Glyn Davies 2011 - Buy a print of this image HERE

I headed for the dunes, crossing a wide band of deep sticky and slippery black mud, skinned with a sinewy green layer of weed, and then the sand blasting started! Plumes of swirling sand were being blown back inland from the highest dunes and it was in my eyes and all over my camera. Thank God it's a hermetically sealed 1DS system and not one of these new lightweight non sealed units. As I crested the dunes my view was of a choppy wind-churned sea, curtains of rain sweeping across the Llyn Peninsula and a stormy looking horizon, but punching through the darkness were large holes of what could 'almost' be described as sunshine, just enough to lighten the foreground for a few brief moments. The estuary behind me seemed to be fading to darkness very quickly, and I knew that once the beams of sunlight were clouded by the advancing rain, that I would lost all light for my return journey.

"The Horse & The Mermaid" © Glyn Davies 2011 - Buy a print of this image HERE

It was strange walking back across the estuary, which was now just a shimmer of water all about me in the early night. I felt the landscape was ready to absorb me, to suck me literally into it's depths. I felt slightly disorientated even though I knew the general direction, and I felt very alone and insignificant in the universe, but it was all rather beautiful and humbling. I could hardly discern the start of the footpath back across the next dune-scape and impossibly quickly it was dark. My night vision was the only think guiding me back and I found myself frequently tripping over rabbit holes and clumps of grass. I know some people get a bit freaked by woodlands at night but I felt very at one with this vegetated, copse covered landscape, even in the darkness. I loved the fact that no one else was there, it was my landscape once again, precious ! :-) I did enjoy a thirst quenching couple of cold beers back in the warmth of the house that evening though :-)

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-27T16:41:00.000Z

This was one of those unusual Christmas days, when Carol and I have the day to ourselves, so instead of pigging out on Christmas dinners and excesses of booze, we did a two hour cliff-walk on North Anglesey, in gale force winds blowing straight off the Irish Sea, and doused in sea spray sweeping over the headlands. Such a change from last Christmas, with it's freezing temperatures and thick white snow. I should have known the moment I bought my snow chains for the new van, that we would consequently see no snow at all!

"The Cauldron" Anglesey © Glyn Davies2011 - Buy this image HERE

The day was so dark and dreary, and the skies looked unforgiving, but there was a air of melancholy in the house that morning, and we both needed air. It never ceases to amaze me how simply getting one's boots and kit ready nurtures positive energy from the two of us, and as made sandwiches and Carol made flasks the feeling was like a Christmas present itself. The wind buffeted the van hard as we reached the Four Crosses road and I took the decision to head for the West Coast where I thought the seas would be most impressive. As we cut through the wind along the A55 all about us was darkness and occasional drizzle but in the distance, there was just a 'hint' of something brighter. We SO made the right decision as by the time we reached Trearddur Bay swathes of blue and rays of sunshine were breaking through the thick blanket of cloud.

"We Kayaked Here" Anglesey © Glyn Davies 2011 - Buy this image HERE

The sea was not quite as rough as I'd imagined for the strength of the wind, which seemed to have been blowing for days, but was nevertheless sending waves and spray flying up the cliff faces. Against the wind the progress was tough, especially as Carol hadn't been well all week and I haven't been walking in the hills for many weeks now, feeling particularly unfit, but the fresh air, the spectacular seas and the brilliant sunshine were incentive enough. We found a partly sheltered cove amongst the rocky headlands, and descended steeply to a tiny pebbly beach, on which to eat our cheese sarnies and mince pies, washed down with hot coffee. Energy came flooding back to me, and we sat and watched the large swell of waves attempt to break through the narrow entrance to the beach. I wanted to run into the sea in my birthday suit but the ominous looking squall moving closer, along with my Mrs, persuaded me not to !

We decided against the hour or so trek back along the windblown cliffs and instead used some tiny country lanes to make the route a circuit, marvelling at things which even in the once-again-dull light we'd never notice when driving. Amazingly the rain held off for the whole walk which was fortunate but at least we'd seen some brilliance, whilst others stuffed turkey and it felt so good to have simply be alone and different, well relatively ! On Boxing Day whilst others were out walking, we were of course at home stuffing Turkey for our Christmas Day :-))

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

2011 Review & Merry Christmas to all

2011-12-24T14:33:00.000Z

Here I am in a very quiet gallery on Christmas Eve, thankful having sold a lovely A1 Limited Edition (see previous post) and I am now about to close up and concentrate on friends and family! This is sort of an online Round Robin, but basically a review of what's happened this year for me as an artist.

"High Society Exposed" (used as Xmas card by Bangor Uni Bilingualism Department)

Before I sign off for a couple of days, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you regular readers of my blog for your continued support and courteous, thoughtful and positive comments. It's a shame a couple of bad apples ruined the barrel, and the facility for you all to make unmoderated comments here on my blog, but it seems more and more bloggers are having to do the same these days thanks to the lunacy of a minority. It means that those of you who leave comments now, are even more respected than before, due to the extra hurdle you now have to go through, so trust me when I say you have genuine respect from me!

Glyn & Derek Brockway during filming on Yr Eifl for the "Weatherman Walking" series

This year started so promisingly in January with my prime time appearance on "Weatherman Walking" guiding presenter Derek Brockway over the peaks of Yr Eifl; a feature on S4C's "Newyddion" in relation to my No.1 ranking on the 'OneEyeland' International Image Showcase, then a live interview with Roy Noble on BBC Radio Wales and another interview, in Welsh this time, with S4C's Wedi 7 - and then ? It just died ! People continued to come to the gallery but no one bought anything ! They were all raving about my work, complimenting me on my TV appearances and discussing which images they would buy, but in fact all left without even buying a book or a card. It was a disaster, even after all that publicity, and the business almost became a victim of this massive global recession :-(

Glyn & Ben Fogle after filming for NBC America's magazine programme

Then, in March, I appeared with Ben Fogle for NBC America as a featured contributor about this stunning island of Anglesey, home of the Royal Couple. The weather was awful on the filming day at Penmon, but we managed a good interview and an inclusion of numerous images of mine in the feature. Hot on the heels of this followed a highly successful Anglesey Open Studios event here at my gallery, where my print prices reached and sold for the first time over the £1K mark.

I then went on to experience the busiest summer I've ever had, with turnover in May and June almost three times Christmas levels! OK this was almost entirely attributed to the Prime Minister, David Cameron deciding to buy my two Anglesey Landscapes books for the Royal couple, William and Kate, for their memorable wedding on April 29th. This led to live interviews with the BBC on the wedding day itself, plus numerous interviews with the media from S4C, BBC, and The Times, The Telegraph and The Sun. I was given magazine coverage in several photo magazines and photo websites including my pro trade body, the Association of Photographers.

Me on the 3 tiered bridging wall between the gallery's 2 floors

In June I had a huge solo exhibition "Wales Uploaded" in Central London at the Association of Photographers Gallery and this created wide additional exposure, as well as an opportunity to meet many of my highly professional colleagues who were able to see the printed work of the "North Wales landscape man" for the first time. It was so rewarding to see so many photographers genuinely excited by my work. At this show I sold my most expensive print ever, "Rising in Cold Air", at £1950.00, which was a landmark for me and my collectors. Not sure I will be fetching that much ever again, here in North Wales at least, but it was a memorable moment nevertheless! I have plans to do a new show next year in London, possibly with an extremely talented fellow landscaper, details to be announced soon.

One of a triptych from Wanda's "Before & After" collaboration

Talking of collaborations, I have also been working on a project with sculptor, Wanda Zyborska, which deals with her survival of breast cancer, mastectomy and subsequent reconstructive surgery. It was a first for me, working on one creative project through two minds, and is something I would definitely consider again in the future. We had our first show at "The Basement Gallery" in Vienna but a new previously unseen set of my images will be appearing at the first British venue, The Rhyl Arts Centre and Library, in January this year.

ITV's Lorna Prichard during filming on Anglesey

September saw another TV appearance with presenter Lorna Prichard for ITV, relating to my continued No.1 ranking on OneEyeland a year after I reached that position, but also of course about my books and the Royal Wedding. I've also done several public talks to groups and organisations this year, which I normally avoid, but actually enjoyed every one of them, especially those who wish to discuss work and ideas not equipment and techniques!

In November, I heard that my image "Confusion Lifted" had been chosen for inclusion in the "One Life" book to accompany the International image competition of the same name, which was a nice 'lifter' as things moved towards Christmas.

And finally, although the dust has well and truly settled on the wedding publicity, I am well under-way with my new and extremely exciting project about nudes in the landscape, and this will be hopefully released next winter as a large format book, accompanied by an exhibition of large prints from the project. I am always looking for new models so please get in touch if you are athletic looking women between 18 and your 40s, and would like to appear in this book. It is so good to be combining my love of people photography with my existing landscape studies. I genuinely feel these images will be subtly different from much else seen in this genre.

So all there is left to do, is to thank you loyal supporters and blog followers once again for your continued support, and wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a creative, survivable and hopefully rewarding new year, even in these very hard times. Best wishes, Glyn

Nadolig Llawen i chi i gyd, from the Celtic Elf :-)

"Reflecting on a Mountain Top" on Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T12:35:00.000Z

I was only in the gallery this morning on the off chance of a last few book sales for tardy Christmas shoppers, so it was a great surprise when Mr Roberts from Bangor came in to find a print for his new extension and bought an A1 Limited Edition there and then :-)

Out of the short-list of 15 he loved, his final personal selection was "Reflecting on a Mountain Top" and is No. 1 in an edition of 10.

What I loved about this place was the tranquillity, the mirror calm lake high up on the Glyderau, the gentle floating lumps of soft cloud, the equally soft late afternoon light and the crispness of every texture in the rock and grass. A symmetry of contrasts indeed. I really do love 'sections' of Welsh landscape which are more obscure. Only a stone's throw from here are landmarks such as the Cantilever Stone which have been photographed to death, yet simple bits of Welsh hillsides are often so much more characteristic of Welsh topography and light.

The next in the edition as well as different sized versions are still available here on my print sales site

All words and images are strictly the copyright of © Glyn Davies - All rights reserved.

You Have Arrived - in Cape Town

2011-12-21T20:14:00.000Z

The first of the A2 Limited Editions of my image "You Have Arrived" has been sold to Nia, originally from South Wales but now living in Cape Town, SA.

This image of Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) was chosen for the strong family connections with the area, and will form a visual element of her "Hiraeth" for Wales, now that she is living so far away from her homeland. She was very taken by this image in particular, and came to the gallery several times to view it, confirm her emotional connection to it, before finally making the decision to buy it.

Last week I had a phone call from Nia in South Africa, to say she was standing in the framers in Cape Town and wanted to check the measurements and framing materials I use over here, so that she can frame it almost exactly as if I'd done it for her. It was surreal to be measuring borders and frame widths, knowing Nia was thousands of miles away relaying the same words to her framer! I am looking forward to seeing a snap of her framed print finally in situ :-)

Actually, there is an even more ironic twist to this image sale, because I shot "You Have Arrived" as a means of relaxation after the pressure of photographing the Queen of Lesotho during her tour of Wales stop off at Nant Gwrtheyrn! I was there as official photographer for the visit. So created as a direct result of the visit of a beautiful African Queen, my Welsh image has now reconnected with South Africa :-)

The next in the edition as well as different sized versions are still available here on my print sales site

All words and images are strictly the copyright of © Glyn Davies - All rights reserved.

"Varied Solidarity" at The Groes Inn

2011-12-15T15:55:00.000Z

The first print in the A2 Edition of "Cadernid Amrywiol" (Varied Solidarity) was today bought by The Groes Inn, Conwy. This is the first licensed house in Wales (1573).

"Cadernid Amrywiol" Nant Gwrtheyrn - Buy HERE

Cadernid Amrywiol is from my year long project "Y Swyngyfaredd" (The Enchantment) about Nant Gwrtheyrn on the North Wales coast, which became a book and major exhibition, launched at the WMC in Cardiff. This actual print was first shown at the Wales Millennium Centre, then the Gwynedd Museum, then at my own Oriel Glyn Davies Gallery.

From the book containing this image:

"After the harshness of the crags and cliff sides, the angular edges of the quarried levels and the tidy angles of the village itself, these large and beautifully rounded boulders seemed almost organic, and the way they spaced themselves evenly across the fine pebbles of the beach gave them a lifelike character of their own. It was hard to resist simply running my hands over the beautiful smooth curves, much as you would with a Henry Moore sculpture"

"Ar ôl gerwinder y creigiau a’r clogwyni, ar ôl ymylon onglog ponciau’r chwareli ac onglau taclus y pentref ei hun, ymddangosai’r clogfeini mawr, lluniaidd, bron yn bethau organig, ac ’roedd y modd ’roeddent wedi gosod eu hunain yn gyson ar wahân i’w gilydd ar draws cerrig mân y traeth yn rhoi iddynt eu cymeriad byw eu hunain. ’Roedd yn anodd peidio â gwneud dim ond rhedeg fy nwylo dros eu ffurfiau lluniaidd llyfn, fel y gwnaech â cherflun gan Henry Moore"

The book may be purchased direct from HERE

and further prints may be purchased from www.glyndavies.com

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Five Minute Intensity in Darkness

2011-12-07T18:24:00.001Z

The central grass verge was saturated - sods of earth bulging amongst dying green blades of once lush grass. Harshly cut back bramble could no longer disguise the ripping thorns and even the sheep were gone from the small stone-walled fields. I could hear the sea but there was little other sound. Two huge ravens quietly circled overhead, not one call as they rode the cold winds. The two holiday cottages in the tiny valley were now empty, the gates chained shut, curtains closed and presenting a damp air.

"Five Minute Intensity in Darkness" Anglesey : Click here for sales site

The beach unsurprisingly was also empty, not one human print in the wet sand, but a small, webbed impression of a one-way path taken by a seagull meandering it's way, like me, down to the sea. There in strong winds, wave after wave of choppy brine became exhausted on the shore and a myriad of spume creatures jostled towards the back of the beach. I picked my footsteps carefully over dark, seaweed-laden rocks towards the large caves, and as the spattering rain became a squall I sheltered in the dark echoing depths of one chamber. At the back, in the half light, I could pick out mounds of gently blowing brown froth, and above, jammed by heavy waves, was lodged a large silver beer barrel, visually apt I mused. A stream flowed down a slab at the entrance to the cave, then cascaded gently onto the floor, but as the shower hammered at the entrance I felt protected by the skin-like but slimy rock walls. The incessant throb of a distant helicopter, as always around here, reverberated around the cave, amplified by it's walls. I hadn't even heard it outside. I watched it hovering like a Kestrel over a mouse, and then saw the first of two trawlers just below, pitching towards the safety of Holyhead Harbour a mile or so ahead.

"Pouring Into a Pool" Anglesey : Click here for sales site

The torrent from above petered out and in the last of the spits I left the cave, mostly to avoid being cut off by the rapidly incoming tide. The beach was convex, and large swathes of seawater cast themselves across it's face, accelerating towards the deep rocky pools at either side. Small curves of white foam marked the advancing tide mark and in my Wellies I enjoyed letting the waves flow past, almost but not quite filling my boots. And then I saw the light, gentle, glowing, cold, but apparently waving the clouds away from the masked sun. Before me, silver rivulets, necklaces of light, surrounded beautiful rounded boulders clasped by virgin sand, traces in darkness, and then the brilliant multi-pointed star of the sun penetrated the soft barrier and a hard shaft of sunlight splashed across the swirling water, intense, captivating and uplifting.

"Home-bound Trawler" Anglesey : Click here for sales site

In my peripheral I could sense a shift in colour temperature and I turned to see cliffs bathed in yellow and orange, starkly contrasting against the almost black skies behind. I had cold winds biting at my neck, I was being whipped by my own hair and molested by gusts, yet in front of me, I was being shown an exercise in warm stage lighting, rich, sumptuous, saturated colour, the sort HDR fanatics could only fantasise about. I stood, nay sank, in fast beach streams flowing from the Nant above, which contrasted the cool blue reflections of the sky with a golden glow from the land, and then within maybe five minutes it was gone, as a large sheath of impenetrable cover slid layer by layer under the beautiful burn. The illusory feeling of warmth had abandoned me to the advancing weather darkness, and the cold forced me to don my gloves for the first time this winter (my new shooters' mitts I'd bought at the RSBP Centre at South Stack). I even pulled my hood up as I threw my tripod over my shoulder and crunched up the pebbly embankment towards the path, every stone indenting the arches of my feet even through my Wellies. Dark followed me rapidly and by the time I'd reached my vehicle it was upon me. As I opened the back of my new van, I was bathed in a comforting new orange light, and I made for home.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

EXPOSURE 2011 - Votes needed please

2011-12-02T17:15:00.001Z

Following the inclusion of one of my images in the International One-Life Competition book, I have just entered a different competition run by the same organisation. This competition is called Exposure 2011, and I have featured a set of 20 of my black & white moody landscapes of Snowdonia & Anglesey.

Now although the main entries will be judged by a panel of professionals within the industry, there is also a "People's Choice Award" which runs until December 20th. I would be extremely grateful if you would take a minute to view the whole portfolio entry here and use the VOTE button to register your support for me. Unlike many blog votes I've needed in the past, this award does not need you to register, just vote ! :-) If you enjoy my work, or even simply love Wales, please DO vote for me, even if you are one of my competitors, because it's all good for the promotion of photography in Wales (and of course keeps this gallery going)!

This is snip from the accompanying text:

"Much as I enjoy basking in summer sunshine, this place is MORE magical, more engaging and more emotionally charged for me when the winds are whispering, the rain caresses my face and bursts of sunshine spotlight the landscape in a theatrical stage show.

This is a land where man's history and influence are everywhere, from ancient standing stones to modern day farmland, yet it thankfully retains all the elements of mini wilderness and nature. It is a place where you can feel both the warmth of human connection and the escape of mind widening solitude. It shifts from unforgiving and stark at some moments in some places, to gorgeously sensual in others. It's a land where I can sometimes literally feel immersed in nature, but always have the comfort of knowing that I'm less than a day away from security, and that makes this place extremely special for me and many others living here."

Many thanks in advance guys, appreciated.

PRINT SALES HERE http://www.glyndavies.com

Light Notes - First A2 sold, to Welsh translator

2011-11-23T12:24:00.001Z

I was utterly delighted today, when my wonderful Welsh tutor Ann Corkett, ordered the first A2 Limited Edition print of "Light Notes" BUT, she unsurprisingly desired the title to be in Welsh! Now who better to ask to translate this English title into Welsh than Ann herself, a professional translator for many years to some of the biggest organisations in Wales !

So the title is yet to be revealed, the only hiccup being that "notes", musical or literary, vary in the Welsh plural, so we have to decide on the English bias of my pun. Ann and her talented lexicographer husband, the eminent Dr Bruce Griffiths, have already translated all three of my art books for me, brilliantly, according to my Welsh friends, so I have utter trust in their skill with words :-)

No.2 of 5 of this A2 print is now available, or No.1 of 3 in the larger A1 size.

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com

Endless Rotation - A tribute to a talented friend

2011-11-22T19:30:00.001Z

The world endlessly changes, sometimes quickly like the energy of waves in the ocean, the rise and fall of the tide, the shifting of the clouds in the sky, the advance of heavy rain, the evaporation by brilliant sunshine. Mountains are gradually rising, whilst others are being eroded or sinking, not that we can see any of it, but it's there. The pulses of energy are everywhere, moving through anything and everything, the energy of life itself - and then there is man! We may all be part of this phenomenal rotation of life and death, but my God we never seem to learn anything universally changing along the way, we seem as primitive and aggressive as ever.

"Endless Rotation" is dedicated to my friend, a hugely talented, friendly and very giving climber and instructor, who has suffered a witch-hunt of ignorant trolls on and off line for many years. I told him to remember that trolls all die and turn to dust, just like humans, and their bile will have meant nothing, unlike his amazing feats, which will live on for generations to come.

White Pelican Shot with a Pistol

2011-11-19T16:28:00.001Z

The perfect link between sea, land and sky, the realm of The White Pelican

I'm not sure why, but just recently, even faced with a sudden quiet patch in the gallery, I have been buying odds and sods to benefit my working methods, from specialist clothing to outdoor gear and camera accessories. In the freezing cold of winter, when your shooters' mitts are under Goretex mits and so on, it can be a fiddle to hold the camera, compose and lock off tripods all at the same time, without the benefit of tactile sensation in your fingers at least, so I recently invested in an old style Manfrotto 322 Pistol Grip. I bought this from the amazing Cambrian Photography in Colwyn Bay.

Manfrotto had promised to send me sample units to 'try before I buy' but they never acted on their promises so I just ended up visiting Cambrian instead, the best move by a long way! I looked at the beast of a 327 and it was clunky, and even with friction adjusted, way too imprecise to adjust minutely. The power you needed to squeeze the awkwardly placed right handed trigger was inordinately excessive, and after just five minutes of practice my fingers felt like I'd been half an hour on the climbing wall! Reversing the handle so that I could use in in my left hand was even worse, as the squeeze trigger had to be 'pushed' not pulled. The smaller 324 was much lighter but simply wouldn't hold the heavier camera/lens combinations during the test in the shop. If you adjust the friction wheel to compensate for this, then you could hardly move the trigger lever smoothly.

And then I was shown the old style 322 vertical joystick grip and it was spot on, in terms of ergonomics and ease of use. It was also cheaper, so I just bought it on impulse there and then.

Last weekend was my first chance to try it out for real and I am 95% happy with it. The 5% unhappiness is that it is still almost double the weight of the Compact Ball head I have been used to, and I noticed that the grip did 'creep' a little when using the 70-200 f4L IS fitted with a 1.4x converter. I compensated by setting it a few mms higher, but what I need to explore is increasing the friction a little more to negate the need to do that. Technically I should have just done it there and then but honestly, I was so busy looking at the beautiful landscape that I simply overlooked it ! I don't see myself using this grip in the hills, as it's just too heavy when I am trying to minimise what I carry, but I can see myself using it regularly for all other landscape work. Handily when you are over 6ft like me, the head itself gives you an extra few inches of shooting height, which reduces next strain !

All words and images are strictly copyright © Glyn Davies 2011 - All rights reserved
Glyn's landscapes are all available as 200 year archival prints on his website at www.glyndavies.com