Local Artist and Shrewsbury College Lecturer has completed his Artist in Residency at the National Trust property, Powis Castle, with his exhibition of work due to go on display in the coming weeks.
Matthew Wood, who has been the Castle’s Artist in Residence over the last eight months will be opening the exhibition at a private viewing on Saturday 24 May and his work will be on display until Thursday 26 June.
This marks the beginning of a series of a projects with Shrewsbury College’s Art School staff and Foundation Degree Art students that will occur over the next six months.
Matt said: “Having lived in direct vicinity of Powis Castle for some 10 years I decided to make efforts to create a body of work that responds to this location. I had on numerous occasions visited with friends and relatives and had always had a nagging wish to create a body of work in this environment.
“The project started in October, on a once a week basis. I would endeavour to produce two or more paintings in one sitting,” he continued. “As autumn turned to winter I became completely absorbed by the atmosphere. In the spring I began observing the Castle from outside.
“All of these paintings have a feeling of distance and separation perhaps in response to the hustle and bustle of everyday life or perhaps as a direct observation of a place frozen in time, either way I would like to think that I have somehow connected with Powis Castle.
Matt concluded: “I look forward to receiving response from the general public and returning to the Castle to work with my Contemporary Art students on their projects there later in the summer. The students have been working extremely hard on their individual exhibitions, taking inspiration from the Castle - and it has been great to see their creative diversity develop over the past year.”
Anyone wishing to attend the Private View on the 24th of May can contact Matt for an invitation, by calling Shrewsbury College on 01743 342342.
For more information about Art courses at Shrewsbury College please call 01743 342333 or visit www.shrewsbury.ac.uk
