I am a Welsh artist and live in the heart of Mid Wales. Where I live is a gift to any artist as I have magnificent views overlooking the foothills of Mynydd Epynt with its stunning beauty and changing light from deep grey rain to golden shafts of sunlight. My choice of home is no accident. My inspiration and vision comes from all that is around me; the mountains, the fields, the trees, the skies and of course the cows and sheep.

I attended Swansea College of Art at the young age of 15 where I studied dress and design. With hindsight, had I been older, I would have taken a fine art degree instead of a craft course, but being young and influenced by the likes of Mary Quant it seemed the more exciting option at the time.

Up until 2005 my daily life activities were brimming over with the upbringing of my two children and a full time job but the urge to paint was continually eating away at me. Once the children flew the nest I made a decision to follow my desires and I embarked upon a journey to paint.  To start my journey I attended a 3 day in residential course in ‘Abstraction’, here at Gregynog.  Being totally naïve I started my journey backwards, I thought it would be just another style although it has (my journey) taught me that every style requires a different approach and a different perspective and most importantly, you have to be good at art in the first place in order to attempt a new style. My journey of enlightenment, as I call it, was and still is one of the most enjoyable periods of my life and a huge stepping stone to my new life as an artist.

My style of art and subject matter is very varied. I love the human form and enjoy exploring different media to portray it and I also love colour and am not afraid to show the passion I feel inside me by expressing myself in paint.  My favourite medium is watercolour which I feel is under-rated; whilst renown for being one of the most difficult medium’s to master I use it’s unpredictability to my advantage in creating exciting effects in my landscapes by allowing one pigment to merge into another.

Painting is my life, it excites me. If I don’t paint every day I have a physical ache inside me. Writers express themselves in words; I express myself in pictures.

And of course a lot of people know me for my humorous images, with my quirky cows and charcoal hares, but there is a lot more to me than most people realise and I hope with the work you are seeing today will give you a glimpse of ‘The Other Side’

of me and that you enjoy my work as much as I did painting it.

www.juliaharris.info

With games, arts and crafts there is sure to be something for everyone.

Normal Entry Fees Apply.  Fancy Dress Parade at 3pm with prize giving for best dressed Super Hero.

Helen exhibits her fantastic paintings throughout the month of August.

More details to follow.

 Come along and Join Black Barts Crew on their crazy adventures, with games, arts and crafts there is sure to be something for everyone.

Normal Entry Fees Apply.

Fancy Dress Parade at 3pm with prize giving for best costume.

Come along and enjoy our very first promenade performance using different locations around our beautiful gardens and castle.  Performed by Artistic Licence, this is set to be a magical occasion and a must see event. (Please wear suitable clothing).

Ticket Price £10 per person (non refundable)

Performances are:

Thursday 5th July @ 7.00 pm

Friday 6th July @ 7.00 pm

Sunday 8th July @ 4.00 pm

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 01437 751326

Open 10.30am – 5.00pm

Usual Entry Fees Apply

A Diamond Jubilee Charity Concert of Tempus Vocal Group in the magical setting of the Great Hall at Picton Castle.

Come along to our “Evening to Remember” and enjoy a vocal group with a wide range of music styles includiung Gospel, Pop, Renaissance and Baroque.

Performance on 16th June 2012 at 7.00pm

Ticket Price £10 per person (non refundable)

To book call 01437 751326, 01646 600384 or 01437 890002 or book online.

Small Gallery

1st June – 28th June

Joe Finch exhibits his wonderful pottery in the beautiful setting of Picton Castle.

More Details To Follow

Large Gallery

1st June – 28th June

Trudi Finch exhibits her amazing paintings in the setting of magical Picton Castle Galleries.

More Details To Follow.